Guide · updated November 2026

School fete risk assessment

A school fete combines food, rides, kids' activities, stalls and a raffle, often on a hot day with lots of volunteers. Here are the activity-specific risks to add to the core event risks.

Hazard	What could happen	Before	Key controls	After
Food not kept at safe temperatures	Food poisoning among attendees	High	Food stalls registered or notified as your state and council require, checked before the event · Hot food held at 60°C or hotter, cold food at 5°C or colder · Probe thermometer at every stall that handles high-risk food · Handwashing set-up at every food stall · Food covered and off the ground	Medium
Food allergens	Anaphylaxis from undeclared allergens	Extreme	Stalls can tell customers what is in each food and display allergen information · Staff never guess about ingredients · First aiders trained in anaphylaxis and adrenaline auto-injectors · AED and first aid post known to stallholders	High
LPG cylinders at food stalls and trucks	Gas leak, fire or explosion	High	Cylinders upright, secured and in date · Hoses and fittings checked before trading · Food trucks provide their gas compliance certificate where required · Extinguisher and fire blanket at every cooking stall · Spare cylinders stored outside stalls, away from the public	Medium
Grease and wastewater disposal	Slippery surfaces, stormwater pollution	Medium	Grey water and grease collected in containers · Nothing tipped into gardens or stormwater drains · Spill kit near the food area	Low
Hot plates and cooking oil	Burns to volunteers or children	High	Barrier between the public and the BBQ · Long tongs and heat-resistant gloves · Only briefed adult volunteers cook · Burns kit and cool running water nearby	Medium
Undercooked or poorly stored meat	Food poisoning	Medium	Raw meat kept in a cold esky or fridge at 5°C or colder until cooking · Separate tongs and trays for raw and cooked food · Sausages cooked right through (no pink), spot-checked with a thermometer · Hand washing station at the BBQ	Low
Gas BBQ leak	Fire or explosion	High	Connections leak-tested with soapy water before lighting · Cylinder in date, upright and in open air · Extinguisher and fire blanket at the BBQ	Medium
Inflatable lifted or tipped by wind	Children thrown or falling, serious injury or death	High	Hire only from an operator who supplies AS 3533 compliance, any required registration, a current inspection logbook and insurance · Anchored at every point the manufacturer specifies · Operator's wind limit written down, wind measured on site, and the device emptied and deflated when the limit is reached or wind is gusty · Never operated during storm warnings	Medium
Collisions and falls between users	Head, neck and limb injuries	High	Trained attendant supervising at all times · Users grouped by size and age · Manufacturer's maximum number of users enforced · No shoes, glasses or sharp objects · Soft matting at the entry and exit	Medium
Blower and electrical supply	Electric shock, entanglement, burns	Medium	Blower guarded and fenced off · RCD-protected supply · Leads tested and tagged and protected from foot traffic	Low
Harm to a child by an adult	Abuse or grooming	High	Everyone working with children holds a current working-with-children clearance · Two-adult rule for kids' activities · Child safe policy and code of conduct briefed to volunteers · Sign-in and sign-out for supervised activities	Medium
Face paint and craft materials	Skin reactions, choking on small parts	Medium	Cosmetic-grade face paints only, and parents asked about allergies · Craft materials matched to the children's ages	Low
Stallholder vehicles moving among the public	Pedestrian struck	Extreme	No stallholder vehicles move between opening and close, with no exceptions · Pack-down only once the public area is clear · Stallholder conditions signed in advance	Medium
Stallholders without insurance or approvals	Uninsured injury, permit breach	High	Certificate of currency and any approvals collected before the event · Stallholder conditions and site rules signed	Low
Gazebo, marquee or temporary structure collapse or lift	Crush or impact injuries	High	Marquees installed by a competent supplier who provides an installation certificate · Gazebos weighted on every leg to the manufacturer's minimum (pegs alone are not enough on hard ground) · Wind trigger to drop or close walls · Structures checked before opening and every hour	Medium
Striking underground services when pegging	Gas, electrical or water service strike	High	Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) enquiry lodged · Venue asked about irrigation and buried services · Weights used instead of pegs near services	Low
Electric shock from temporary power	Serious injury or death	High	Temporary installations done by a licensed electrician to AS/NZS 3002 · RCD protection on every circuit · Leads and appliances tested and tagged (AS/NZS 3760) · No daisy-chained power boards · Leads protected from water and foot traffic	Medium
Generator fumes, fuel and hot surfaces	Carbon monoxide poisoning, burns, fire	High	Generators outdoors, fenced and away from people and tents · Refuelled only when stopped and cool · Fuel stored away from heat with an extinguisher nearby	Medium
Power failure	Loss of PA, lighting and EFTPOS; unsafe darkness	Medium	Backup power or battery lighting for first aid, exits and the PA · Charged radios and megaphone · Torches for key staff	Medium
Raffles and fundraising run outside the rules	Fines, a voided raffle, reputational damage	Medium	State rules for raffles and fundraising checked, with any permit obtained · Prizes displayed and the draw made publicly · Ticket and money records kept	Low
Event on school grounds	Conflict with school procedures; unclear responsibilities in an emergency	Medium	Principal or department approval and school WHS requirements followed · Event emergency plan aligned with the school's emergency management plan · Out-of-bounds areas locked or signed	Low

Approvals a fete commonly needs (NSW example)

Typical lead time	Approval / document	Detail
12 weeks	Venue / landowner permission and council event application	Book the venue and lodge the council's event application (or venue hire agreement) with this plan attached.
12 weeks	Section 68 approval (if your council requires it)	Many NSW councils require approval under s68 of the Local Government Act 1993 for activities on community land, such as amplified music, stalls or structures.
8 weeks	Public liability insurance	Certificate of currency for the event date. Many councils ask for A$20 million cover with council noted as an interested party.
8 weeks	Event, risk and emergency plans submitted	This pack: Event Management Plan, Risk Register and Emergency Management Plan, plus a site plan.
8 weeks	Site plan / map	Show stalls, stage, first aid, toilets, water, bins, entries and exits, emergency vehicle access and the assembly area.
8 weeks	Approval for temporary structures	Council approval for larger marquees, stages and seating, with an engineer's or installer's certificate.
8 weeks	School / department approval	Principal or department approval and alignment with the school's emergency plan.
6 weeks	Toilets booked	Portable toilets (including accessible) sized to peak attendance and event length.
6 weeks	First aid provider booked	Matched to crowd size and risk (see First Aid & Medical Plan).
6 weeks	Community gaming and fundraising rules	Raffles follow Liquor & Gaming NSW community gaming rules. Charitable fundraising may need an authority from NSW Fair Trading.
4 weeks	Waste plan	Bins, recycling, bin runs and final clean-up.
4 weeks	Police notified	Let the local station know the date, times, numbers and contact person. Required for larger or road events.
4 weeks	Inflatable operator documents	AS 3533 compliance, any registration required by your state, current inspection logbook, written wind limit and certificate of currency.
4 weeks	Working With Children Checks	NSW WWCC for everyone working with children at the event.
3 weeks	Temporary food stalls notified to council	Each food stall must notify the local council, and food businesses must notify the NSW Food Authority where required. Check whether a Food Safety Supervisor is needed.
3 weeks	Food handling rules for the BBQ	Check with your council whether your club's sausage sizzle needs a notification or licence. Many community fundraisers do, at least once a year.
3 weeks	Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) enquiry	Lodge before pegging or staking anything into the ground.
2 weeks	Contractor and stallholder documents collected	Certificates of currency, registrations, licences and signed conditions.
2 weeks	Neighbour and business notification	Letter drop to affected residents and businesses (template included).
2 weeks	Licensed electrician and test & tag	Temporary installations to AS/NZS 3002 by a licensed electrician. All leads and appliances tested and tagged.

Need the full plan for your event?

EventReady builds your Event Management Plan, Risk Register, Emergency Plan, First Aid Plan, approvals timeline and 8 more documents from your event details, ready to attach to your council application. The approvals timeline is free.

Build my event plan What's included

Common questions

Does a school fete need council approval?

If it's held entirely on school grounds, the school or department approval process usually applies instead of a council event permit. Food stalls, raffles, amusement devices and anything on council land or roads can still need separate approvals.