Product Overview

Summary: This Excursion Planning Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, WHS-focused framework for planning, approving, and conducting excursions safely in Australian workplaces and educational settings. It helps organisations identify and control risks before staff, students, or participants leave the usual workplace, ensuring excursions are safe, compliant, and well-documented from concept through to post-activity review.

Excursions, field trips and off-site activities are a valuable part of learning and engagement, but they expose organisations to a different and often higher risk profile than day-to-day operations. Travel, unfamiliar environments, changing weather conditions, and varied participant needs all introduce hazards that must be systematically managed under Australian WHS and duty-of-care requirements. This Excursion Planning Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, repeatable process for planning, assessing, approving and delivering excursions, so nothing is left to chance.

The SOP guides users through each stage of the excursion lifecycle: from initial concept and risk assessment, through approvals, permissions, supervision planning and communication with stakeholders, to on-the-day management and post-excursion review. It helps schools, childcare providers, RTOs, community organisations and workplaces demonstrate that they have taken reasonably practicable steps to protect participants and staff, while still enabling meaningful, enjoyable activities. By standardising documentation, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and embedding WHS controls into every step, this procedure reduces administrative burden, strengthens compliance, and provides a defensible record should an incident or regulatory enquiry occur.

Key Benefits

• Ensure excursions are planned and delivered in line with Australian WHS legislation and duty-of-care obligations.
• Reduce the likelihood of incidents, injuries and near misses during off-site activities through structured risk assessment and control measures.
• Standardise excursion planning, approvals and documentation across the organisation, improving consistency and quality.
• Clarify roles, responsibilities and communication channels for staff, volunteers, contractors and venue providers.
• Provide clear evidence of due diligence and risk management in the event of audits, complaints, insurance claims or regulator investigations.

Who is this for?

• School Principals
• Assistant Principals
• Directors of Early Childhood Education and Care Services
• Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) Coordinators
• Training Managers and RTO Coordinators
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Excursion and Events Coordinators
• Team Leaders and Supervisors
• Youth Program Coordinators
• Community Services Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Transport-related risks, including vehicle accidents, boarding and disembarking incidents, and pedestrian hazards near roads or car parks
• Slips, trips and falls on unfamiliar terrain, uneven ground, steps, docks, trails or wet surfaces
• Environmental and weather-related risks such as heat stress, dehydration, UV exposure, storms and cold exposure
• Water-related hazards at beaches, rivers, lakes, pools and aquatic centres, including drowning and near-drowning events
• Lost, missing or separated participants in crowded or open public spaces
• Medical emergencies, pre-existing health conditions and medication management issues
• Behavioural incidents, aggression, bullying or challenging behaviours in off-site environments
• Interaction with animals, plants, insects and other environmental allergens or hazards
• Food-related risks including allergies, anaphylaxis and foodborne illness
• Fatigue and manual handling risks associated with travel, carrying equipment and long days
• Security and safeguarding concerns, including child protection, supervision ratios and contact with unknown members of the public

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Applicable Settings
• 3.0 Legislative and Standards Framework
• 4.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Delegations
• 5.0 Excursion Planning Timeline and Workflow Overview
• 6.0 Initial Excursion Proposal and Approval Requirements
• 7.0 Risk Management Process and Excursion Risk Assessment
• 8.0 Participant Needs, Medical Information and Behaviour Support
• 9.0 Supervision, Staffing Levels and Volunteer Management
• 10.0 Transport Arrangements and Travel Safety
• 11.0 Venue Selection, Verification and Third-Party Provider Checks
• 12.0 Communication with Parents, Guardians and Participants
• 13.0 Consent Forms, Permissions and Privacy Considerations
• 14.0 Emergency Planning, Incident Response and Escalation
• 15.0 First Aid, Medication Management and Health Requirements
• 16.0 Equipment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Packing Lists
• 17.0 On-the-Day Operational Checklist and Sign-in/Sign-out Procedures
• 18.0 Managing Weather, Environmental and Activity-Specific Risks
• 19.0 Child Safety, Safeguarding and Code of Conduct Expectations
• 20.0 Post-Excursion Debrief, Incident Review and Continuous Improvement
• 21.0 Recordkeeping, Documentation and Audit Trail
• 22.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 23.0 Document Control and Review History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and relevant state/territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and relevant state/territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities: Code of Practice
• National Quality Framework (NQF) and National Quality Standard (NQS) for Early Childhood Education and Care and OSHC, particularly Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
• Child Safe Standards and relevant state/territory child protection legislation and guidelines
• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018 Risk management – Guidelines
• Australian Road Rules and relevant state/territory passenger transport regulations
• Relevant state/territory Department of Education excursion and outdoor activity guidelines (where applicable)