I'm adding an activity
What you need to check, document, and confirm before you open bookings for a new activity. The steps below apply whether you're an existing registered operator or growing into a new discipline.
Is this activity regulated?
Some activities fall under the Adventure Activity Regulations and require a registered operator with an audited SMS. Others sit outside the regulations but still require you to follow good practice. Knowing which category your new activity falls into determines your obligations.
Find the Activity Safety Guideline (ASG)
Every regulated activity has an ASG — the WorkSafe-recognised standard for running that activity safely. Your SMS must align with it. The Activity Guidelines pages have ASG links and qualification requirements for each discipline.
Do a site-specific risk assessment
Generic risk assessments don't satisfy WorkSafe. Your assessment must be specific to the location, conditions, and participant group for this activity. Use the template below as a starting point and document your hazard identification, likelihood ratings, and controls.
Confirm staffing and qualifications
Each activity has its own qualification requirements. Before you open bookings, confirm that every guide or instructor delivering this activity holds the correct qualification — and that you have a system for tracking renewals.
Write or update your activity SOP
Your Standard Operating Procedure for the new activity documents how you run it safely — briefing process, equipment checks, participant ratios, weather go/no-go criteria, emergency procedures. It becomes part of your SMS.
Tell your Technical Advisor
If you're a registered operator, adding a new regulated activity may require a TA review before you can operate it. Contact your TA early — they can confirm what documentation is needed and whether a formal re-audit is triggered.
Don't see your activity in the Activity Guidelines?
If your activity isn't covered by the Adventure Activity Regulations, the Good Practice Guides section has safety guidance for 15 non-regulated activities including tramping, camp fires, flatwater paddling, and more.