Agricultural activities (light vehicles, towing and trailers)

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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 the operation of light vehicles, towing and trailers under the direct supervision of a licenced adult supervisor as an activity to support curriculum delivery. Trailer activities include the loading/unloading, coupling/uncoupling, towing and driving of ride-on mowers and light, side-by-side vehicles, including utility off-road vehicles (excluding quad bikes).

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.

The operation of light vehicles, towing and trailers on a public road or non-school site is not permitted as a curriculum activity.

Note: This guideline does not include the riding of quad bikes as part of a curriculum activity. A separate risk assessment should be undertaken for this activity, noting that quad bikes must not be used for towing. Consult the quad bikes flyer.

Light vehicles, towing and trailer activities may involve other activities that have various risk levels. Refer to the relevant activity guideline (e.g. agricultural activities (tractor driving) guideline when towing a trailer with a tractor or using power take off implements) for requirements associated with these activities. Depending on the scope of this activity, other risk assessments may be required when planning.

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

Medium risk
Loading/unloading or coupling/uncoupling a trailer on solid level terrain and riding on a purpose-built trailer (e.g. for fruit picking or hay making).

High risk
Loading/unloading or coupling/uncoupling a trailer on hazardous terrain (rough, boggy or sloping); driving instruction in and operation of a light side-by-side utility vehicle (SSV) or ride-on mower, including towing smaller garden variety utility carts (mower blades disengaged when towing).

Extreme risk
Towing trailers using farm vehicles (e.g. cultivator, plough, etc) on solid or hazardous terrain (rough, boggy or sloping). If towing using tractors or using power take off implements, consult the CARA guideline for agricultural activities (tractor driving).

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.

Riding in moving trailers is prohibited except in specific situations, such as fruit picking or hay making, where well-designed purpose-built trailers are used at very slow speeds. (Students must not drive the towing vehicle in these situations.)

Riding in utility off-road vehicles is prohibited for passengers under the age of 8 or those (of any age) unable to sit with their feet flat on the floor and hands on handholds.

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
must not allow students under 16 years of age to refuel vehicles.

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:

Adult supervisors must be licensed to drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in the operation and/or driving instruction of the specific towing vehicle and assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle and safe manual handling.

Medium risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is:

a registered teacher, or an adult supervisor working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, who can legally drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle.

High risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

a registered teacher who can legally drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, who can legally drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle and with qualification in the activity (e.g. AHCMOM205—operate vehicles, AHCMOM203—operate basic machinery and equipment or similar) or another method determined by the principal.

Extreme risk activities

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

a registered teacher who can legally drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle and with qualification in the activity (e.g. AHCMOM205—operate vehicles, AHCMOM203—operate basic machinery and equipment or similar) or another method determined by the principal
an adult supervisor, working under the direct supervision of a registered teacher, who can legally drive the towing vehicle with competence (knowledge and skills) in assessing and supervising safe handling of the vehicle and with qualification in the activity, with qualifications in the activity (e.g. Certificate III in Rural Machinery Operations or similar) or another method determined by the principal.

See FAQs for further support.

Facilities and equipment

The qualified adult supervisor 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.

Participants must wear personal protective equipment as relevant, for example, appropriate enclosed footwear (steel cap boots when relevant), 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.

Machinery must 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).

Pre-operational checks carried out and maintenance schedules conducted to ensure towing vehicles and trailers are compliant with all relevant legal and safety requirements found in the safe towing and loads and towing. This should include, but not be limited to, couplings, tow bars, safe work platforms and suitable guardrails (or other edge protection).

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

Ensure seat belts (where fitted) are worn.

The size of the load must not exceed the capacity of the trailer and towing vehicle. Size of load and capacity of trailer and towing vehicle to be noted within planning documents and/or in the completed CARA record.

Towing vehicles must be stationary with the engine switched off, or be in a safe park mode with brakes applied, before approaching the vehicle to load/unload or couple/uncouple the trailer.

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
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 (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. Drink breaks to occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks. Clear lines of sight must be maintained when negotiating hazardous terrain
Facilities and equipment hazards	Control measures
Activity location	Location must be suitable for the activity being undertaken. Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used locations to ascertain suitability. Plan to avoid hazardous terrain (e.g. slopes, hillsides) to reduce the possibility of loss of control, change in weight distribution of loads or rollover. If difficult terrains are unavoidable, provide prior instruction on appropriate techniques to traverse the terrain
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
Vehicles	Hitching of trailers to tractors must be performed in accordance with the rural plant code of practice 2024 (PDF, 1.7MB). Safe access to and from the work area when towing a trailer is required, considering the flow of other vehicles, hazards, structures and domestic premises. Load must be restrained and properly covered and meet safe projecting load dimensions. Participants must only approach a vehicle with the explicit and immediate consent of the driver and instructor if the ignition is engaged. Exclusion zones must be established and enforced when a ride-on mower is in use to reduce projectile hazards. Towing vehicles must be driven at speeds slow enough to keep control over unexpected hazards and maintain stability of loads. Mount/dismount of vehicle must only occur when the engine switched off and stationary or in a safe park mode with brakes applied. Close supervision of students must occur when reversing, coupling and uncoupling the trailer, or hazardous terrain. Ensure keys and starting devices are removed from vehicle when not in use and stored in a separate locked location
Hazardous substances Chemicals	Refuel the vehicle safely (e.g. in a well-ventilated area, when the engine is cold, maintain contact between the metal outlet of the refuelling hose and the fuel tank to discharge static electricity)
Student considerations	Control measures
Injury	Students aware of the location of emergency and first-aid equipment
Q Fever	Be alert to zoonosis—diseases that can pass from animals to humans (e.g. Q fever)
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	Non-participants kept clear of the tractor driving area and where pinch/crush hazards exist. Students supervised in a safe location when not actively receiving instruction
Visibility	Ensure staff can easily recognise those students with health support needs and are familiar with their needs

Additional links

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CARA guidelines