Media arts

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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 media arts as an activity to support curriculum delivery. Media arts involves creating representations of the world and telling stories through communications technologies such as television, film, video, newspapers, radio, video games, the internet and mobile media and involves using cameras (still and video), digital and mobile technologies (including games), editing equipment, lighting and sound equipment (amplifiers, speakers and microphones), computers; creating and using props, animation materials and special effects to make media products. It includes using, downloading, mashing, manipulating and posting material sourced from a variety of contexts including online copyright-free sources.

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 (e.g. visual arts, dance, drama) 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

Low risk
Media arts activities involving camera usage

Medium risk
Media arts activities involving the use of media beyond camera usage

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.

Compliance with the department's guide to managing electrical equipment in departmental schools and workplaces is required for safety switches if using extension or power cords.

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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.

Students and student projects are required to follow the obtaining and managing student and individual consent (PDF, 400KB) procedure.

Students are required to be instructed in the safe, legal and ethical use of digital resources, technologies and online environments. Refer to eSafety Commission and acceptable use guidelines (PDF, 207KB) and the use of open source material including creative commons procedures.

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 rely on students to recover a person in difficulty at any time.

The activity must be suspended if the conditions become unfavourable (e.g. unforeseen/uncontrollable hazards arising).

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:

At least 1 adult supervisor is either:

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

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.

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

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

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
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. Follow the school's sun safety policy, including appropriate clothing, 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. Ensure drink breaks occur regularly. Make water available for individual participants between drink breaks
Facilities and equipment hazards	Control measures
Location	Location must be suitable for the activity being undertaken to ensure safe participation and that safety rules and procedures can be followed. Undertake a reconnaissance of new or infrequently used venues to ascertain suitability. Venue with appropriate toilet and change facilities, accessible to students with disability as required
Electricity	If power is required, ensure electrical or extension leads do not pose a tripping hazard, are tangle-free and connected correctly. Ensure audio/video cords and equipment are taped or securely fixed to surfaces. Ensure adequate number and placement of power points
Heights/ falling objects	Assess and manage risks associated with working at heights
Noise	Wear appropriate hearing protection for loud and/or continuous noise. Maintain volume control at a safe level
Lighting and special effects	Ensure participants are aware of the risk associated with flashing lights (e.g. strobes) especially for people prone to epilepsy
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 students are aware of safety when selecting and using props (e.g. prop weight and using ropes). Ensure appropriate equipment is used to lift heavy objects or materials (e.g. use of ramps)
Student issues Student numbers, special needs, high risk behaviours, medical conditions	Consider and approve student pre-production materials (e.g. scripts, storyboards, props), including aspects conducted independently out of school hours, prior to producing school projects. Caution students against the risks of filming scenes that have not appeared on their approved storyboards. These include the performing of stunts by students, mock 'crime' scenes, the filming of people who have not given their consent to be filmed or photographed, and the use or production of material that could be considered offensive or that breaches the Student code of conduct (PDF, 469KB). Give constant attention to the dangers/risk associated with the location and equipment being used

Additional links

State school staff search 'School online service risk reviews' on OnePortal for third party websites.

Disclaimer

This information is developed and distributed on this website by the State of Queensland for use by Queensland state schools only.

Use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information by persons or organisations other than the State of Queensland is at their sole risk. All users who use, adapt or rely on this information are responsible for ensuring by independent verification its accuracy, currency and appropriateness to their particular circumstances. The State of Queensland makes no representations, either express or implied, as to the suitability of this information to a user's particular circumstances.

To the full extent permitted by law, the State of Queensland disclaims all responsibility and liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs arising from the use or adaptation of, or reliance on, this information.

Links to external websites are for convenience only and the State of Queensland has not independently verified the information on the linked websites. It is the responsibility of users to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of the information at these external websites.

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