Agricultural activities (construction)

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Guideline review date: 24 September 2025

This guideline is provided to support schools in implementing the managing risks in school curriculum activities procedure.

The CARA planner (DOCX, 232KB) must be used for the specific school context in conjunction with this guideline considering additional risks, hazards and controls and including environmental, facility, equipment and student considerations.

For activities beyond the scope of this guideline, complete a CARA record using the CARA generic template (DOCX, 98KB).

Activity scope

This guideline demonstrates the minimum safety standard for student participation in agricultural construction as an activity to support curriculum delivery. Agricultural construction includes using plant and equipment to manipulate materials for construction for all types of foundations (e.g. concreting), flooring and construction performed in agricultural field sections, such as stockyards, work benches and fencing, and more complex construction (e.g. animal shelters).

Note: This activity does not include the use of auger-type post hole diggers.

The Department of Education is committed to ensuring that curriculum activities are planned for and managed in accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of students, staff and others.

Depending on the scope of this activity, other risk assessments may be required when planning. Curriculum activities encompassing more than 1 CARA guideline, for example, practical workshop activities guideline and agricultural activities (hand operated machinery) guideline must comply with the requirements of all CARA guidelines appropriate to the activity.

For activities conducted at a non-Department of Education venue, and/or when engaging external expertise, request written risk assessment advice and attach it to this CARA record.

For activities conducted off-site, schools must comply with the school excursions procedure.

Risk level

The risk level of the activity is determined by the highest risk level of the plant/equipment/materials planned for use in the activity, in conjunction with risks associated with the school context (e.g. location, student participants).

The plant, equipment and materials in curriculum activities template may be completed, referenced and attached to this CARA record prior to conducting the curriculum activity. Consult the Plant and Equipment Risk Assessments (PERA) and Safe Operating Procedures (SOP) to assist in determining the risk level.

Low risk
Surveying; landscaping using small, simple-operation hand tools (e.g. hand fork or hand trowel).

Medium risk
Landscaping using hand tools (e.g. spades, rakes).

High risk
Landscaping with hand tools with sharp cutting edges or points (e.g. mattocks, digging forks, hoes, secateurs, pruning saws); concreting; welding; construction of fencing using plain, electrified wire, wooden posts, plastic posts, barbed wire and/or steel posts; construction of floors, stockyards, animal shelters, shade-houses, garden sheds.

Activity requirements

If any requirement cannot be met, the activity must not occur.

A registered teacher must be appointed to maintain overall responsibility for the activity.

Teachers, in collaboration with other adult supervisors of the planned activity, determine additional risks, hazards and control measures relevant to the activity and the specific school/group circumstances in order to lift the safety standard above the minimum identified in the CARA guideline.

Consult review comments from previous CARA records to improve safety standards based on the advice from the previous supervisors of the activity at the school.

Prior consultation and collaboration with local expertise (e.g. local council, private landholder) is required for local advice, emergency support mechanisms and additional supervision requirements to ensure participant and public safety.

Permission/permits are required to be obtained from land managers (e.g. local councils or private landholders), if applicable.

Reference to the children and young workers code of practice 2006 (PDF, 426KB), the WorkSafe serious about farm safety guide and the hazardous manual tasks code of practice 2021 (PDF, 1.4MB) is required when planning this activity.

The guide to managing electrical equipment in departmental schools and workplaces and the standard operating procedures (SOP) for equipment and machinery resources must be followed.

The risks associated with working at heights, confined spaces (PDF, 1.5MB), biological, asbestos, slip/trip/fall and noise must be assessed and managed.

Local government building and planning requirements must be complied with.

Parents/carers must be informed about the necessity of relevant vaccinations, for example, Q fever.

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Students

Schools must consider age, maturity and skill level of students when planning curriculum activities.

Adjustments are required for students with disability to support access and participation in the curriculum. Consult with the parents/carers of students with disability or, when appropriate, the student to ensure risks related to their child's participation in the activity are identified and managed.

Schools must consult current student medical information and/or health plans in accordance with the managing students' health support needs at school procedure. Record information about any student condition (e.g. physical or medical, such as epilepsy) that may inhibit safe engagement in the activity and include specific support measures within emergency procedures.

For activities with students with a medical condition or disability that may impact on safety during the activity, consultation with parents is required prior to allocating supervision to determine the impact of students' medical condition or disability on safety during the activity.

For participants with known allergies, schools must comply with the supporting students with asthma and/or at risk of anaphylaxis at school procedure and the school's anaphylaxis risk management plan (DOCX, 159KB), including an adult supervisor of the activity with anaphylaxis training.

Emergency and first-aid

Induction and instruction

Consent

Supervision

Principals, in consultation with the qualified adults, make final supervision decisions for the activity that considers the local context.

Appropriate adult supervision must be provided to manage the activity safely (i.e. prevent an incident from occurring and manage an incident if one were to occur, including managing emergency situations). The principal must give active consideration to the minimum standards set in the CARA guideline for the activity, the CARA planner and the risk assessment when determining the appropriate level of supervision.

See number of adult supervisors below.

Before the activity, all adult supervisors:

must be familiar with the contents of the CARA record, including the emergency and supervision plans.

During the activity, all adult supervisors:

must provide active and direct supervision—be constantly vigilant, attentive and rescue ready
must comply with control measures from the CARA record and adapt as hazards arise.

The activity must be suspended if the conditions become unfavourable (e.g. poor visibility, extreme temperatures, thunderstorms).

Number of adult supervisors

Principals, in consultation with the qualified adults of the activity, determine the final number of supervisors to fulfil instructional, emergency and supervision roles for the local context that consider the nature of the activity, students' ages, abilities and specialised learning, access and/or health needs. In some instances, the final supervision ratio may be 1:1.

If the minimum safety standard cannot be met, modify the activity (or elements of it) and use the hierarchy of controls to implement alternative control measures to meet or exceed the minimum safety standard (e.g. reduce the number of students participating at any one time).

See frequently asked questions (FAQs) for further support.

Supervisor qualifications

Qualifications support the minimum safety standard for this activity. Principals make final decisions* in determining supervisor capability (competence, relevance and currency) and whether the activity leader meets an appropriate teaching standard.

*See FAQs for further support.

All adult supervisors must comply with the working with children authority—blue cards procedure.

Qualified adults for the activity

Recovery/emergency—CPR, first aid, rescue

An adult with current emergency qualifications is required to be quickly accessible to the activity area.

Supervisors must have CPR and first aid qualifications relevant to the activity. Emergency qualifications may include:

Low risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

a registered teacher with demonstrated knowledge of the activity and its potential hazards
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with demonstrated competence (knowledge and skills) in the activity.

Medium risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

a registered teacher with competence (knowledge and skills) in teaching the agricultural construction activity
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with competence (knowledge and skills) and qualifications in the agricultural construction activity (e.g. Certificate II in Agriculture or similar) or another method determined by the principal.

High risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

a registered teacher with qualifications in the agricultural construction activity (e.g. Certificate II in Agriculture or similar) or another method determined by the principal
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, with qualifications in the agricultural construction activity (e.g. Certificate III in Agriculture or similar) or another method determined by the principal.

See FAQs for further support.

Facilities and equipment

The qualified adults of the activity, in consultation with the principal, determines the requirements for facilities and equipment appropriate to the local context.

Consult chemicals in curriculum activities for support in assessing the risks of chemicals used with/by students in curriculum activities.

If a CARA record is required in OneSchool, a summary of chemicals, plant, equipment and/or materials used in the activity must be provided by entering directly onto the CARA record in OneSchool or by attaching a summary. Sample templates are provided in chemicals in curriculum activities and plant, equipment and materials in curriculum activities.

Copper chrome arsenate (CCA) treated posts must not be used in state school facilities.

Star pickets must only be used as a temporary measure and must be capped appropriately at all times if used.

Participants must wear personal protective equipment as relevant, for example, appropriate enclosed footwear (steel cap boots when relevant), leather gloves (if using split posts or other splintering timber or barbed wire), hearing protection, safety glasses with Australian Standards specification, breathing protection (e.g. mask) to protect against airborne particles.

Equipment must be sized to match the ability and strength of students.

Plant and equipment must conform to Australian Standards, be fit for purpose, in good working order, properly maintained and used in accordance with manufacturers' instructions and relevant codes of practice and safe operating procedures (SOP).

All equipment must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

A process for checking for damage for all equipment used in the activity must be established and employed.

A maintenance schedule (e.g. checking for damage, repairing, sharpening) must be established and enacted for all plant and equipment used in the activity (e.g. hand/power tools, machinery). Consult Equipment Maintenance Records (EMR) and Plant Equipment Risk Assessments (PERA) documents.

A retirement schedule must be developed to replace plant and equipment by manufacturers' nominated expiry date or when significant wear causes a hazard.

Tools to be well maintained and sharpened, stored appropriately when not in use, transported safely (e.g. using a protective cover) and cleaned following use. Consult managing plant and equipment in industrial technology and design fact sheet for advice on tool maintenance.

Portable safety switches must be used where there are no residual current devices installed.

Common hazards and controls

Further to those listed, include any additional hazards and control measures considering the local context of the activity.

Environmental hazards	Control measures
Animal bites/diseases Stings, poisoning, infection	Ensure the location is clear of obstacles and wildlife (e.g. snakes) that may pose hazards. Control allergen and disease risks associated with working with animals and with dust, dry matter and airborne organisms in stockyards, for example, Q fever. Follow appropriate hand washing procedures after working in and around animal environments
Environmental conditions Weather, surfaces, surrounds	Assess weather conditions prior to undertaking the activity, inspecting the intended location in order to identify variable risks, hazards and potential dangers. Prevent hazards by ensuring appropriate control measures are in place for unfavourable weather conditions (e.g. dampen dust during high wind, control slipping hazards after rain). Follow the school's sun safety policy, including appropriate clothing (e.g. long sleeved shirts), sun protection (e.g. sunscreen) and shade facilities when outside. Follow the managing excessive heat in schools guidelines when participating in very hot or extreme heat conditions
Facilities and equipment hazards	Control measures
Activity location	Location must be suitable for the activity being undertaken. This may be in a specialised facility (e.g. workshop, project site for projects that are too large to be undertaken in a workshop) or other suitable location. Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used locations to ascertain suitability
Electricity Burns, electrocution	If power is required, ensure electrical or extension leads do not pose a tripping hazard. Compliance with the department's guide to managing electrical equipment in departmental schools and workplaces is required when planning this activity
Faulty or dangerous equipment	Disengage/turn off electric fencing and display signage to signify which wires are electrified when working in close proximity to electric fencing. Do not overstrain wire. Use a wire strain gauge to measure the strain on the wire at all times. Equipment to be situated where it does not pose potential hazards
Hazardous substances Chemicals	Ensure all chemicals required for the decontamination processes are arranged in advance and are readily available
Heat sources Burns	Sufficient space must be available to work safely with hot equipment / heat sources (e.g. a safety zone when using welding tools)
Heights/falling objects Falling from height	Assess and manage risks associated with working at heights. Exclusion zones clearly marked to prevent falling objects striking participants when working at heights
Noise	Consult managing noise in manual arts/industrial technology and design workshops fact sheet
Sharp implements or objects	Safety guidelines enforced when using sharp implements (e.g. keeping fingers out of the way, carrying sharp implements appropriately)
Student considerations	Control measures
Injury	Students aware of the location of emergency and first-aid equipment
Manual handling Lifting equipment	Use correct manual handling processes when lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. Ensure appropriate lifting equipment is used to lift heavy objects or materials
Physical exertion Exhaustion and fatigue	Continually monitor participants for signs of fatigue and exhaustion. Establish rest stops, considering the age and fitness level of students. Adopt system of signals to clearly communicate the need for assistance if in difficulty. Drink breaks to occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks
Slips, trips, falls	Assess and manage potential fall, trip and crushing hazards (e.g. surfaces with poor footing, obstacles, high loads). Consult preventing slips, trips and falls fact sheet
Student issues Student numbers, special needs, high risk behaviours, medical conditions, separation from the group	Establish and maintain a safety zone around the area where dangerous activity is occurring (e.g. wire strainers are in use). Ensure all students are on the post side of the wire tensioner to avoid injury from wire strain or wire failure. Students must be supervised in a safe location when not actively receiving instruction
Q Fever	Be alert to zoonosis—diseases that can pass from animals to humans (e.g. Q fever)
Visibility	Have students wear easily identifiable clothing (e.g. high visibility shirt). Ensure staff can easily recognise those students with health support needs and are familiar with their needs

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