Artist in Residence (AIR) program
Risk management plan +
workplace health and safety
Arts Tasmania
Arts Tasmania
Risk Management Plan + Workplace Health and Safety
The changes to the laws that govern workplace health and safety that came into effect on
1 January 2013 have implications for artists in the AIR program as contractors of Arts
Tasmania and as workers in the school and college environment.
Both Arts Tasmania and the school or college where you will be resident have a
responsibility for your personal safety in the work environment and a responsibility to
ensure that you are not putting yourself, or others, at risk through your work practices.
It is critical, therefore, that you complete a risk management plan for your residency in
order to ensure that you identify the potential risks that may present during your time in the
school or college and that you consider how to ensure your safety and the safety of those
with whom you work at all times.
A risk management plan will enable you to consider what could go wrong during the
residency and whether you are making assumptions that could be proven to be incorrect. It
will help you to identify the external risks and determine the best way of mitigating them.
A component of your risk management plan is your safe work method statement. This
statement shows that you have considered your work practices, the hazards that may be
inherent in the work that you do and shows that you have addressed these. It is different to
a risk management plan in that it describes the physical processes associated with the work
you will do during your residency and identifies the hazards as opposed to the risks.
Both the plan and the statement are designed to protect you and those with whom you
work.
You should draft your risk management plan including the safe work method statement once
you receive your contract and finalise them after you have met on site with the school or
college. You will not be allowed to start your residency until these documents have been
submitted to Arts Tasmania so please ensure that you set aside the time and that you lodge
them well before your start date.
Below you will find two templates and some guidelines to help you develop these
documents. You can use these templates or submit plans in your own format.
The WorkSafe Tasmania website, www.worksafe.tas.gov.au, also has links to the legislation
and a range of Codes of Practice which are practical guides to achieving the standards of
health, safety and welfare required by law and which could help in the development of your
risk management plan and safe work methods statement.
Each school and college will have strong risk management processes in place in order to
protect its staff, students and visitors to the site. As part of your induction into the school or
college you must ensure that these processes are explained to you so that you are aware of
the school or college’s requirements and so that you know what resources are available to
you which can help to protect your own workplace health and safety and the safety of those
with whom you will be working.
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Artists in Residence (AIR) program
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Risk management plan
Please provide a plan that demonstrates:
 The range of potential risks associated with your residency and their source
 The probability of the potential risks eventuating
 The impact of these risks on the residency if they occur
 Your strategies to control and mitigate these potential risks.
You should consider the potential risks in each of the four areas below. As a guide we have
provided some examples to prompt your thinking:
 environmental/external risks (risks beyond your control) - consider whether your
residency may be impacted upon by unexpected changes to the rooms or spaces
allocated to you within the school or college or changes made to the timetable. Think
about the potential restrictions that weather may have on activities you have planned for
the residency. Consider the availability of the materials you are proposing and what
impact it would have if these materials were no longer available or viable. Determine
what impact the demographic of the student cohort may have on the residency. How do
you ensure your physical safety in a new environment?
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financial risks – consider whether you have developed a realistic budget and whether
you have included any additional costs associated with your residency i.e. materials,
travel, general running costs.
management risks –Are there sensitivities associated with the conceptual content of
the work that you may be producing in the school or college environment? What
strategies do you have for managing the expectations of the teachers and school for your
residency activities or outcomes? What are the risks associated in working in a non-arts
environment and the potential differences in understanding the context and/or
interpretation of art practices i.e. large scale ephemeral drawing or street art? Can you
seek guarantees of products you may use to create work during your residency? Do you
have appropriate and adequate insurance in place?
personnel risks – consider the range of stakeholders with whom you will be dealing
including teachers and students. What if these relationships are compromised? What if
the students allege you have acted inappropriately? What impact would it have on the
residency and on your career? Consider your communication skills and channels – are
there possible risks?
Safe work methods statement (SWMS)
A SWMS is an explanation of all of the processes and steps associated with the practical,
hands-on work you will be doing during the residency. It shows that you have considered
your work practises in careful detail from travelling to the first meeting until the closing day.
In writing your SWMS you should describe each step in the process, identify any hazards
that may be associated with the artwork you may be creating for yourself and that which
you may be creating with the students, the safety controls that you will use to minimise
these hazards and therefore the steps you haven taken to protect health and safety.
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
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Hazards can include:
 physical hazards – floors, stairs, ladders, fire, falling objects, slippery surfaces, manual
handling, noise, vibration, heat and cold, poor lighting, etc.
 mechanical and/or electrical hazards – electricity, machinery, equipment, hoists,
etc.
 chemical hazards – dangerous goods, chemical substances, cleaning agents, dust and
fumes, air quality, acids or poisons and chemicals that could lead to a fire or explosion
 biological hazards – bacteria, viruses, mould, vermin, animals
 radiation hazards - UV light from sunlight, microwaves from mobile phones, x-rays
 psychosocial hazards – excessive work stress arising from a range of sources including
workload, trauma, contact with students or with teachers, unfamiliar and dynamic
environment.
The following are the options available to you for controlling the risks. These strategies are
ranked in order from most effective to least effective:
 eliminating the risk entirely by removing it
 substituting or modifying the hazard by replacing it with something less dangerous
 isolating the hazard by physically removing it or cordoning it off
 engineering controls for example redesigning your work set up
 administrative controls for example limiting the time you are exposed to a potential hazard
and
 using personal protective equipment.
Arts Tasmania’s Professional Development Officer is happy to assist you with
the risk assessment process.
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Artists in Residence (AIR) program
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Artist in Residence (AIR) program
PROJECT
NAME
ARTIST NAME
DATE
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN with examples – please delete the examples and insert additional rows for your own plan as required
Risk/Source
What, where and how can it happen
Probability
Impact
Environmental/External Risk
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The student cohort do not engage with the
your residency
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Low/medium
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Proposed activities cannot be
completed
Diminishes the intention and
outcomes of the residency
Schools unwilling to participate in
future residencies
Controls
What you will do / have done
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Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Artists in Residence (AIR) program
Familiarisation with the students age,
interests and curriculum
Ensure support from teachers for
proposed activities
Willingness to be flexible with the
residency activities and adapt according
to the interest shown by students
4
4
Artist in Residence (AIR) program
Financial Risk
Student’s interest takes residency in an
unplanned direction
Low/medium 
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 Prior to changing focus for residency,
rebudget and negotiate with school as to
how these costs will be covered
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Materials budget inadequate for
additional costs
Management Risks
Lack of understanding from school as to the
validity of the artform concepts and
practises
Low/medium
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Lack of support from non-arts
staff leading to interference with
the residency activities
Compromised outcomes from the
residency as a result
Breakdown in relationship with
school management
Parental backlash against
residency activities
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Meet with all school staff to explain
residency purpose, activities and intended
outcomes
Establish communication methods and
channels to ensure staff are kept
appraised of activities and outcomes
Present introductory talk to students and
staff to establish respect for artist’s
practice, skills and experience
5
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Artists in Residence (AIR) program
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5
Artist in Residence (AIR) program

Personnel Risks
Dealing with a difficult/confrontational
student and the lack of experience with student
behaviour protocols
Low

Intimidation leading to lack of

confidence in the environment
Compromising safety in the school

Compromised reputation in the
school and inability to complete
residency
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Ascertain behaviour management policy
and reporting procedures at the school
induction
Ensure good communication with the
identified AIR co-ordinating teacher
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Artists in Residence (AIR) program
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Artist in Residence (AIR) program
Arts Tasmania
146 Elizabeth Street
Hobart TAS 7000
P (03) 6165 6666
www.arts.tas.gov.au
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