BlueSafe
School Safety Risk Assessment

School Safety Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

School Safety Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with School Safety through a structured, management-level Risk Assessment that supports planning, policy, training, and system design across your entire school environment. This document helps Principals and School Leadership Teams demonstrate Due Diligence, align with the WHS Act, and reduce operational and governance liability across all school activities.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Leadership & WHS Due Diligence: Assessment of school leadership responsibilities, WHS governance structures, safety accountabilities, and evidence of compliance for Boards, Principals and Senior Executives.
  • WHS Risk Management & Planning System: Management of school-wide risk registers, hazard identification processes, planning cycles, and integration of WHS into school improvement and strategic plans.
  • Traffic Management, Access & Ball Games Near Roadways: Assessment of pick-up/drop-off zones, car park and bus bay layouts, pedestrian access, and controls for student play and ball games near roads and vehicle movements.
  • Supervision, Behaviour Management & Student Movement: Protocols for duty of care, supervision ratios, behaviour management frameworks, student transitions between classes, and movement during breaks and excursions.
  • Physical Education, Sport & Outdoor Activities: Management of curriculum and co-curricular sport, playground and oval use, off-site sporting venues, heat and UV exposure, and higher-risk outdoor activities such as camps and carnivals.
  • Design & Technology, Workshops and Heavy Machinery: Assessment of machine guarding, equipment selection, lock-out/tag-out, supervision of students using powered tools, and workshop layout and maintenance.
  • Science, Art & Glasswork Safety Management: Controls for hazardous chemicals, burners, glassware, sharp tools, kilns, and specialised equipment used in laboratories, art rooms, and creative spaces.
  • Medication Management & Prescription Drug Administration: Protocols for secure storage, authorisation, administration, documentation, and error management relating to student medication and health care plans.
  • Child-Related Work, Safeguarding & Work Near Children: Assessment of Working With Children Checks, professional boundaries, safeguarding policies, and risk controls for staff, contractors and volunteers engaged in child-related work.
  • Facilities, Grounds, Play Equipment & Environmental Conditions: Management of building safety, playgrounds, shade structures, slips/trips/falls, maintenance programs, and environmental factors such as heat, storms and bushfire risk.
  • Contractor, Volunteer & Visitor Management: Systems for induction, supervision, access control, high-risk contractor activities, and coordination of third parties working on school grounds during and outside school hours.
  • Training, Information, Consultation & Communication: Assessment of WHS training programs, safety briefings, consultation with staff and Health and Safety Representatives, and communication pathways to students and parents.
  • Emergency Preparedness, First Aid & Incident Management: Planning for lockdowns, evacuations, medical emergencies, first aid facilities, incident reporting, investigation, and corrective action processes.
  • Psychosocial Health, Workload & Wellbeing: Management of psychosocial hazards including bullying, aggression, workload, fatigue, occupational violence, and wellbeing supports for staff and students.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Principals, School Business Managers, WHS Coordinators and Education Leaders responsible for planning, governing and monitoring safety across primary, secondary and combined school environments.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Leadership & WHS Due Diligence
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance structure leading to fragmented safety responsibilities across the school
  • • Insufficient principal and senior leadership due diligence in line with WHS Act 2011 obligations
  • • Inadequate resourcing for WHS (time, budget, competent personnel)
  • • Failure to integrate WHS into school strategic and operational planning
  • • Poor safety culture where staff and contractors perceive WHS as a compliance exercise only
  • • Lack of documented WHS objectives, targets and performance indicators
  • • Inadequate oversight of hazards specific to schools such as ball games near roadways, glasswork, PE activities, heavy machinery and work near children
2. WHS Risk Management & Planning System
  • • Absence of a structured risk management process for identifying and assessing school-wide hazards
  • • Risk assessments completed only for excursions or high-profile activities and not for routine school operations
  • • Inconsistent consideration of risks associated with ball games entering roadways or other dangerous areas
  • • Inadequate risk assessment for PE and sporting programs, including contact sports, high-intensity activities and environmental conditions
  • • Failure to systematically assess risks in specialist areas such as design and technology rooms, heavy machinery use and glasswork in art classes
  • • Poor integration of risk assessment outcomes into planning, budgeting and scheduling decisions
  • • Risk controls not documented, reviewed or communicated effectively to all affected parties
3. Traffic Management, Access & Ball Games Near Roadways
  • • Poor separation of student play areas from vehicle access roads and car parks
  • • Ball games positioned near roadways or car parks leading to students chasing balls into traffic or other dangerous areas
  • • Inadequate physical barriers between playgrounds/ovals and external roads
  • • Lack of clear procedures for managing drop-off and pick-up zones and bus bays
  • • Insufficient supervision of students during arrival, recess, lunch and departure periods near vehicle interfaces
  • • Visitors and contractors accessing school grounds without clear traffic and access guidance
  • • Inadequate signage, line marking, speed control and lighting in car parks and internal roads
4. Supervision, Behaviour Management & Student Movement
  • • Inadequate active supervision of students in playgrounds, sports fields, corridors and high-risk areas
  • • Lack of clear supervision ratios for different age groups and activities, including PE and ball games
  • • Poorly defined or inconsistently enforced behaviour expectations leading to unsafe play or misuse of equipment
  • • Inadequate systems to manage high-risk behaviours, bullying or aggression that may escalate into physical harm
  • • Uncontrolled student movement near high-risk areas such as car parks, heavy machinery rooms, glasswork areas and kitchens
  • • Insufficient communication between staff during transitions (e.g., between class and PE, or from classroom to specialist rooms)
5. Physical Education, Sport & Outdoor Activities
  • • Lack of documented risk assessments for PE programs and sporting activities including high-impact or contact sports
  • • Use of unsuitable or poorly maintained sports equipment and playing surfaces
  • • Inadequate warm-up, stretching and progressive skill development increasing risk of musculoskeletal injury
  • • Insufficient consideration of weather conditions (heat, UV, storms, wet surfaces) during outdoor activities
  • • Inadequate supervision and instruction for high-risk activities (e.g., gymnastics, athletics, contact sports, water-based activities)
  • • Failure to consider student fitness levels, medical conditions and individual capability when planning activities
  • • Crowded or poorly designed activity areas leading to collisions or contact with fixed structures
6. Design & Technology, Workshops and Heavy Machinery
  • • Inadequate guarding, isolation and emergency stop systems on heavy machinery used in design and technology classes
  • • Lack of formal competency assessment and supervision systems for students using machinery and power tools
  • • Inadequate maintenance and inspection of machinery, extraction systems and electrical installations
  • • Poor workshop layout leading to congestion, trip hazards and unsafe material handling
  • • Insufficient control over access to workshops, machinery and hazardous substances outside supervised class times
  • • Failure to integrate manufacturer instructions and relevant Australian Standards into local procedures
  • • Inadequate management of noise, dust and fumes generated by machinery and processes
7. Science, Art & Glasswork Safety Management
  • • Use of glassware and sharp tools in art and science without appropriate controls
  • • Inadequate procedures for glass cutting, kiln use or handling of hot materials in art classes
  • • Poor storage, labelling and segregation of chemicals, glazes and other hazardous substances
  • • Inadequate ventilation and controls for fumes, dusts and aerosols in art and science rooms
  • • Lack of clear emergency procedures for spills, burns, cuts and breakages
  • • Inconsistent risk assessments for glasswork and experimental activities involving heat or chemicals
  • • Inadequate waste disposal systems for broken glass, sharps and hazardous waste
8. Medication Management & Prescription Drug Administration
  • • Incorrect administration of prescription medication to students (wrong dose, wrong time, wrong student)
  • • Lack of documented medical management plans for students with chronic conditions or complex medical needs
  • • Inadequate storage and security of prescription and non-prescription medications on site
  • • Poor communication between parents, medical practitioners and school staff about medication changes
  • • Untrained staff administering medications or responding to medical emergencies
  • • Inadequate record keeping of medication administration leading to errors or disputes
  • • Failure to consider medication side effects, such as drowsiness or behavioural changes, in activity planning (e.g., PE, excursions)
9. Child-Related Work, Safeguarding & Work Near Children
  • • Workers, volunteers or contractors without appropriate Working With Children Check (WWCC) or equivalent clearances
  • • Insufficient supervision and oversight of contractors working near children’s facilities or in occupied areas
  • • Inadequate child protection and safeguarding policies, leading to risks of abuse, grooming or inappropriate contact
  • • Lack of clear protocols for one-on-one interactions between adults and students
  • • Poorly controlled access to classrooms, toilets, change rooms and play areas by non-school personnel
  • • Failure to respond appropriately to disclosures or suspicions of harm or neglect
10. Facilities, Grounds, Play Equipment & Environmental Conditions
  • • Poorly maintained buildings, playgrounds and sports fields leading to slips, trips, falls and structural failures
  • • Inadequate inspection and maintenance programs for play equipment, shade structures and surfacing
  • • Insufficient shade and UV protection in outdoor learning and play spaces
  • • Uncontrolled vegetation, debris or litter that creates trip, fire or security risks
  • • Inadequate fencing and gates around the perimeter and specific high-risk areas (e.g., car parks, water bodies, steep gradients)
  • • Poor lighting in access ways, toilets, car parks and external areas used after hours
11. Contractor, Volunteer & Visitor Management
  • • Contractors performing high-risk work (e.g., construction, electrical, tree work) without adequate coordination with school operations
  • • Volunteers undertaking tasks without appropriate induction, supervision or clarity of role boundaries
  • • Visitors roaming unsupervised in areas where children are present
  • • Lack of verification of contractor safety documentation, licences and insurances
  • • Insufficient communication of school-specific hazards (e.g., ball games near boundaries, traffic flows, student movement patterns) to external parties
12. Training, Information, Consultation & Communication
  • • Staff unaware of WHS responsibilities, key school risks and emergency procedures
  • • Inconsistent induction processes for new staff, temporary teachers and volunteers
  • • Limited consultation with staff, health and safety representatives and students on WHS issues and changes
  • • Poor communication of risk controls and changes to procedures for PE, workshops, glasswork and medication administration
  • • Failure to consider language, literacy and cultural factors in WHS communications
13. Emergency Preparedness, First Aid & Incident Management
  • • Inadequate planning for emergencies such as fire, medical events, violent incidents, extreme weather or hazardous material releases
  • • Insufficient first aid resources and trained personnel for the size and risk profile of the school
  • • Poorly practised evacuation and lockdown procedures, leading to confusion in real events
  • • Inadequate incident reporting and investigation processes resulting in missed opportunities to address systemic issues
  • • Failure to integrate high-risk areas (PE fields, workshops, science labs, art rooms) into emergency planning and drills
14. Psychosocial Health, Workload & Wellbeing
  • • High workload and time pressure on staff impacting decision-making and supervision quality
  • • Exposure of staff to aggression, conflict or distressing incidents involving students or parents
  • • Inadequate support mechanisms for staff managing complex student behaviours or medical needs
  • • Poor change management when introducing new programs, infrastructure projects or WHS systems
  • • Stigma or lack of confidentiality around reporting stress, fatigue or mental health concerns

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
  • Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations: Where applicable to school-based early learning and outside school hours care environments.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Guidance on providing safe premises, amenities and access for students, staff and visitors.
  • Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for systematic identification, assessment and control of school-related risks.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Controls for falls from playground equipment, stages, platforms and building access.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice: Applicable to workshops, music rooms, plant rooms and high-noise school activities.
  • Safe Work Australia – First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for first aid facilities, equipment and trained first aiders in school settings.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice (where adopted): Guidance on psychosocial risk management, including workload, bullying and occupational violence.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS 3745-2010 (Incorporating Amendments): Planning for emergencies in facilities, including schools, boarding houses and shared campuses.
  • AS 1319-1994: Safety signs for the occupational environment, including signage for workshops, laboratories and traffic management.
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001 (as adopted): Occupational health and safety management system principles applicable to school WHS frameworks.
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

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