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Event Setup Decorating and Infrastructure Risk Assessment

Event Setup Decorating and Infrastructure Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
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  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Event Setup Decorating and Infrastructure Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Event Setup, Decorating and Infrastructure through a structured, management-level WHS Risk Management framework. This Risk Assessment supports compliance with the WHS Act, strengthens Due Diligence, and helps protect your organisation from operational and legal liability across all event phases.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, WHS Leadership and Duty of Care: Establishment of safety leadership, consultation, roles, responsibilities and executive due diligence for event operations.
  • Contractor and Supplier Management: Prequalification, selection, induction and performance monitoring of contractors, hire companies and third-party suppliers involved in event setup and pack-down.
  • Event Planning, Design and Layout: Strategic planning of site layout, access/egress, crowd flows, exclusion zones and back-of-house areas to minimise interface between workers, plant and the public.
  • Temporary Structures and Decorations Integrity: Design review, engineering verification, procurement standards and inspection regimes for stages, marquees, truss systems, props and decorative installations.
  • Electrical Safety and Power Distribution: Management of temporary power systems, cabling routes, RCD protection, testing and tagging, and electrical safety controls for catering vans, lighting and AV systems.
  • Work at Height, Rigging and Overhead Installations: Governance of elevated work platforms, ladders, scaffolds and rigging activities, including competency, load ratings, exclusion zones and dropped-object controls.
  • Plant, Vehicle and Traffic Management: Planning and control of forklifts, trucks, EWPs and other mobile plant, including traffic management plans, spotters, segregation and delivery scheduling.
  • Environmental and Weather Risk Management: Assessment of wind, heat, rain and lightning impacts on outdoor installations, including weather monitoring, safe operating limits and contingency planning.
  • Crowd, Public and Third‑Party Interface During Setup: Controls for public access, barriers, stewarding, signage and communication where event build activities occur near or around members of the public.
  • Food, Beverage and Catering Safety Systems: Coordination with caterers on hygiene, gas and electrical safety, hot surfaces, waste management and allergen risk within the broader event risk framework.
  • High Intensity Lighting, Audio and Special Effects: Management of strobe lighting, lasers, high-powered audio, smoke, pyrotechnic effects and associated health, fire and equipment risks.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and First Aid: Planning for emergencies including evacuation, crowd incidents, fire, structural failure, medical events and communication protocols with emergency services.
  • Worker Competency, Training and Supervision: Systems for verifying licences, qualifications, inductions and supervision levels for event crew, riggers, operators and contractors.
  • Manual Tasks, Ergonomics and Material Handling Systems: Assessment of lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and repetitive tasks, including use of trolleys, mechanical aids and safe handling procedures for bulky items.
  • Fatigue, Working Hours and Psychosocial Risk Management: Controls for extended shifts, night work, tight bump-in/bump-out windows, workload pressures and psychosocial hazards affecting event staff and contractors.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Event Organisers, Venue Managers, Production Companies and Safety Managers responsible for planning and overseeing event setup, decorating and infrastructure activities.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, WHS Leadership and Duty of Care
  • • Lack of clear WHS responsibilities for event organisers, principal contractors and site controllers
  • • Inadequate consultation and coordination between PCBUs sharing duties on multi‑PCBU sites
  • • Failure to apply WHS Act 2011 due diligence obligations at senior management level
  • • Absence of a documented WHS Management Plan for event setup and pack‑down phases
  • • Commercial pressures overriding safety considerations in planning and resourcing
  • • Poor integration of contractor WHS systems into the overarching event safety framework
  • • Insufficient monitoring of compliance with legal and contractual WHS requirements
2. Contractor and Supplier Management
  • • Engagement of contractors and stallholders without verification of competence or licences
  • • Inadequate vetting of electrical, rigging, scaffolding, crane and elevated work platform providers
  • • Poor alignment between contractor SWMS and the overarching event risk controls
  • • Informal subcontracting chains with no visibility of lower‑tier contractor WHS systems
  • • Inconsistent pre‑qualification standards for food and beverage vendors and catering vans
  • • Lack of enforcement of contractual WHS requirements for event decorators and infrastructure installers
  • • Inadequate supervision of high‑risk work conducted by external providers
3. Event Planning, Design and Layout
  • • Event layout creating congestion and unsafe interaction between vehicles, installers and the public
  • • Poor separation of setup work zones from early‑arriving patrons or other site users
  • • Inadequate planning for emergency access and egress routes for emergency services
  • • Overcrowding of decorations, stalls and structures leading to obstructed pathways and exits
  • • Insufficient planning for locations of food and beverage stands and catering vans in relation to power, gas and traffic flows
  • • Lack of consideration of lighting levels for safe access to and around work areas at night
  • • Inadequate planning for sporting event specific hazards such as projectiles, moving equipment and participant flows
4. Design, Procurement and Integrity of Temporary Structures and Decorations
  • • Use of non‑engineered temporary structures such as stages, marquees, grandstands and sports infrastructure
  • • Holiday and special event decorations not designed for outdoor or high‑wind environments
  • • Inadequate wind and load ratings for overhead structures, banners, lighting trusses and scoreboards
  • • Poor quality or uncertified anchoring and ballast systems for outdoor installations
  • • Use of non‑fire‑retardant decorative materials near ignition sources or high intensity lighting
  • • Lack of documented design verification or engineering certification for complex structures
  • • Failure to consider dynamic loads from sporting activities, crowds or weather conditions
5. Electrical Safety and Power Distribution (Including Catering Vans and Lighting)
  • • Improper connection of temporary power supplies to catering vans and food stalls
  • • Overloading of circuits feeding high intensity lighting rigs and refrigerated food units
  • • Use of non‑compliant leads, power boards or generators in outdoor conditions
  • • Inadequate RCD protection for temporary power to stalls, stages and decorative lighting
  • • Poor cable management creating trip hazards and potential cable damage from vehicles
  • • Inadequate isolation and lock‑out procedures for electrical faults and maintenance
  • • Unverified electrical compliance of vendor‑supplied equipment and catering vans
6. Work at Height, Rigging and Overhead Installations
  • • Inadequate systems for managing work at height during installation of decorations, banners and lighting
  • • Uncertified or unplanned rigging for overhead decorations and sporting event equipment
  • • Poor control of tools and materials at height leading to dropped objects over public walkways
  • • Insufficient verification of anchor points used for fall arrest or suspension of decorative loads
  • • Lack of coordinated exclusion zones beneath overhead work areas during setup
  • • Inadequate training and competency management for riggers and EWP operators
7. Plant, Vehicle and Traffic Management
  • • Uncontrolled interaction between forklifts, trucks, delivery vehicles and pedestrians during event setup
  • • Inadequate traffic management plans for narrow access routes and shared public spaces
  • • Poor systems for journey planning and scheduling of deliveries for decorations and infrastructure
  • • Lack of verification of plant operator competence and vehicle roadworthiness
  • • Insufficient control of vehicle movements around food and beverage stalls, catering vans and sporting areas
  • • Unmanaged reversing, loading and unloading in crowded or confined spaces
8. Environmental and Weather Risk Management (Outdoor Installations)
  • • Failure to account for high winds affecting outdoor decorations, marquees and temporary structures
  • • Inadequate procedures for lightning, heavy rain or extreme heat during setup and event operations
  • • Poor drainage planning leading to bogging of vehicles and instability of structures
  • • UV exposure and heat stress risks for workers setting up sporting events and outdoor displays
  • • Insufficient monitoring of weather forecasts and failure to act on severe weather warnings
  • • Lack of clear triggers for evacuation, shutdown or modification of high‑risk installations
9. Crowd, Public and Third‑Party Interface During Setup
  • • Public access into active setup areas due to insufficient perimeter control
  • • Inadequate communication to neighbouring businesses, residents and facility users about setup activities
  • • Uncontrolled exposure of the public to incomplete structures, open trenches or unsecured decorations
  • • Lack of systems for managing early attendees during last‑minute decoration and infrastructure work
  • • Poor coordination with sporting participants using facilities while setup is underway
  • • Insufficient signage and wayfinding around restricted areas and changed access routes
10. Food, Beverage and Catering Safety Systems
  • • Inadequate systems for managing food safety, hygiene and cross‑contamination at temporary stalls
  • • Improper siting and connection of catering vans in relation to power, gas and public areas
  • • Lack of coordination between food safety requirements and WHS controls (e.g. generator placement, gas bottles near exits)
  • • Poor management of hot surfaces, cooking oils and combustion appliances during setup
  • • Inadequate oversight of vendor compliance with council and regulatory requirements
  • • Failure to consider safe waste management and cleaning processes for food and beverage areas
11. High Intensity Lighting, Audio and Special Effects Management
  • • Glare or strobing from high intensity lighting affecting workers and nearby traffic or sporting participants
  • • Heat build‑up from lighting fixtures near combustible decorations or temporary structures
  • • Inadequate system design for load management on lighting trusses and mounting points
  • • Poor coordination of lighting, audio and special effects with evacuation and emergency systems
  • • Inadequate hearing risk management for staff exposed to high sound levels during testing and setup
  • • Failure to manage manufacturer limitations for lasers, strobes, fog machines and pyrotechnic adjuncts
12. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and First Aid
  • • Lack of integrated emergency response planning across multiple PCBUs on site
  • • Inadequate first aid coverage during high‑risk setup and dismantling periods
  • • Poor communication channels for incident reporting and escalation among contractors
  • • Failure to consider unique emergency scenarios for holiday decorations, sporting events and food stalls
  • • Unclear responsibilities for contacting emergency services and managing site evacuations
  • • Insufficient drills or briefings on emergency procedures for temporary and casual staff
13. Worker Competency, Training and Supervision
  • • Use of inexperienced or untrained workers for complex event setup activities
  • • Reliance on volunteer labour without appropriate WHS induction or supervision
  • • Lack of understanding of site rules, permit systems and emergency procedures
  • • Inadequate supervision during critical tasks such as rigging, electrical connection and vehicle movements
  • • Inconsistent induction processes across different contractors and stallholders
  • • Poor communication where multiple languages or literacy levels are involved
14. Manual Tasks, Ergonomics and Material Handling Systems
  • • Lack of systems to manage manual handling risks associated with decorations, marquees and infrastructure components
  • • Inadequate mechanical aids for handling heavy items such as staging, lighting towers and catering equipment
  • • Poor planning of storage and laydown areas leading to excessive carrying distances and awkward handling
  • • Insufficient training in team lifting techniques for temporary and casual workers
  • • Use of makeshift methods (e.g. standing on unstable objects) to reach decorations rather than appropriate access equipment
15. Fatigue, Working Hours and Psychosocial Risk Management
  • • Extended or irregular working hours during event bump‑in and bump‑out periods
  • • Insufficient rest breaks due to compressed setup schedules or late changes to decorations and infrastructure
  • • Pressure, stress and conflict arising from last‑minute design changes or weather impacts
  • • Workers performing safety‑critical roles while fatigued or under time pressure
  • • Lack of systems to manage psychosocial risks for staff dealing with aggressive patrons or stakeholders during overlapping setup and event operations
16. Documentation, Permits and Change Management
  • • Work commencing without approved risk assessments, SWMS or permits for high‑risk activities
  • • Uncontrolled changes to event layout, decorations or infrastructure after initial planning
  • • Lack of version control leading to outdated site plans and procedures being used onsite
  • • Missing or incomplete records for inspections, test and tag, structural sign‑offs and handovers
  • • Poor management of regulatory and council permits for temporary structures, road closures and fireworks or special effects

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Guidance on providing a safe physical work environment for event activities.
  • Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying, assessing and controlling WHS risks.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Requirements for working at height, including temporary structures and rigging.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance for temporary electrical installations, power distribution and equipment.
  • Safe Work Australia – Traffic Management in Workplaces Guidance: Principles for managing vehicles and mobile plant in event environments.
  • Safe Work Australia – Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Requirements for managing risks from manual handling and ergonomic hazards.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS/NZS 3002: Electrical installations – Shows and carnivals
  • AS/NZS 1170 series: Structural design actions, including wind loads relevant to temporary structures and outdoor installations.
  • AS 2316 series: Amusement rides and devices – Safety requirements, referenced where applicable to temporary event structures and attractions.
  • AS 3745: Planning for emergencies in facilities, adapted for event and venue emergency planning.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

$79.5

Safe Work Australia Aligned