Liability waiver form (free template and example)
A free liability waiver form template in plain English, with a filled example and the seven clauses attorneys check before approving one.
Updated Oct 23, 2026Quick answer
A safety waiver form is a waiver focused on safety rules and equipment as well as risk. The participant confirms they received a safety briefing, agrees to specific rules such as wearing protective equipment, discloses relevant health conditions, accepts the remaining risks and releases the business from ordinary negligence. It suits workshops, classes and venues where following rules is the main way to prevent injury.
What makes a safety waiver form different
Every waiver mentions risk. A safety waiver form puts the emphasis on prevention: it records that the participant was told how to stay safe and agreed to specific rules. That matters for two reasons.
First, it improves safety. A participant who ticks "I will wear goggles" in their own words is more likely to wear them. Second, it strengthens your position if something goes wrong. If an injury happened because a rule was broken, a signed acknowledgment of that exact rule is strong evidence that the business did its part.
Safety waiver or liability waiver?For physical activities like climbing or trampolining, the liability waiver form is usually the base document. A safety waiver suits activities where equipment and rules carry most of the risk, such as workshops, ranges and labs.
Safety waiver form template
Built around a briefing, a short rule list with tick boxes, health questions and a release. Replace the bracketed examples with your actual equipment and rules.
Participant information
Full name: [Full name] Date of birth: [Date of birth]
Phone: [Phone] Emergency contact: [Name and phone]
1. Activity and safety briefing
I am taking part in [Activity, e.g. a beginner woodworking class / an indoor archery session / a pottery workshop with kilns] at [Business name] on [Date]. I confirm I have received and understood the safety briefing, including [key points, e.g. use of guards, protective equipment, emergency stop].
2. Safety rules
I agree to:
☐ wear the protective equipment provided, including [goggles, gloves, hearing protection]
☐ use equipment only after instruction and only as shown
☐ follow staff instructions at all times, including instructions to stop
☐ tell staff immediately about any damaged equipment or unsafe condition
☐ not take part under the influence of alcohol or drugs
3. Risks I accept
Even with safety measures, risks remain, including [cuts, burns, eye injuries, hearing damage, strains and injury from equipment]. I accept these risks and take part voluntarily.
4. Health questions
Do you have any condition that affects your balance, grip, vision or hearing? [Yes / No]
Do you take medication that causes drowsiness? [Yes / No]
Are you pregnant? [Yes / No]
5. Release
To the fullest extent permitted by law, I release [Business name] and its staff from claims arising from my participation, including claims caused by their ordinary negligence. This does not apply to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
6. Right to refuse
I understand staff may refuse or stop my participation if they believe it is unsafe.
Signature
I have read this safety waiver form and sign it voluntarily.
Signature: [Signature] Date: [Date]
Parent or guardian for participants under 18: [Name and signature]
Full name: [Full name] Date of birth: [Date of birth]
Phone: [Phone] Emergency contact: [Name and phone]
1. Activity and safety briefing
I am taking part in [Activity, e.g. a beginner woodworking class / an indoor archery session / a pottery workshop with kilns] at [Business name] on [Date]. I confirm I have received and understood the safety briefing, including [key points, e.g. use of guards, protective equipment, emergency stop].
2. Safety rules
I agree to:
☐ wear the protective equipment provided, including [goggles, gloves, hearing protection]
☐ use equipment only after instruction and only as shown
☐ follow staff instructions at all times, including instructions to stop
☐ tell staff immediately about any damaged equipment or unsafe condition
☐ not take part under the influence of alcohol or drugs
3. Risks I accept
Even with safety measures, risks remain, including [cuts, burns, eye injuries, hearing damage, strains and injury from equipment]. I accept these risks and take part voluntarily.
4. Health questions
Do you have any condition that affects your balance, grip, vision or hearing? [Yes / No]
Do you take medication that causes drowsiness? [Yes / No]
Are you pregnant? [Yes / No]
5. Release
To the fullest extent permitted by law, I release [Business name] and its staff from claims arising from my participation, including claims caused by their ordinary negligence. This does not apply to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
6. Right to refuse
I understand staff may refuse or stop my participation if they believe it is unsafe.
Signature
I have read this safety waiver form and sign it voluntarily.
Signature: [Signature] Date: [Date]
Parent or guardian for participants under 18: [Name and signature]
How to write the safety rules in an activity safety waiver
- Keep it to five to eight rules. A list of twenty is skimmed and forgotten.
- Make each rule a specific action, like "wear goggles at all times in the workshop", not "be careful".
- Match the rules to the briefing, so the form records what was actually said.
- Include a stop rule: participants must stop when staff say so.
- Post the same rules on the wall, dated, so the signed version and the posted version match.
Safety waiver form examples by activity
| Setting | Rules to include | Health questions |
|---|---|---|
| Woodworking or maker space | Guards on, eye and ear protection, no loose clothing | Grip, balance, drowsy medication |
| Pottery with kilns | No touching kilns, staff load and unload, burns procedure | Skin conditions, respiratory issues |
| Archery range | Wait for whistle, never nock arrows uprange, stay behind the line | Vision, shoulder injuries |
| Cooking class | Knife handling, hot surfaces, allergy procedure | Food allergies, flagged |
| Science or lab workshop | Goggles, no food, chemical handling | Asthma, chemical sensitivities |
Health questions in a safety release form
Health questions only help if someone acts on them. Before you add a question, decide what happens when the answer is yes: a modified task, a staff check, a doctor's note, or not taking part.
With an online safety waiver, mark those questions as flagged. A "yes" then appears as an amber badge when staff search the participant's name at check-in, so the instructor knows before the session starts, not after.
Safety briefing checklist for a safety waiver
- Location of exits, first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
- Demonstration of each tool or piece of equipment before use.
- Protective equipment: what to wear and when.
- The stop signal and emergency procedure.
- Who to tell if equipment looks damaged.
Keep a short written version of the briefing with the date, so the waiver's reference to "the safety briefing" points to something you can produce later.
Activity safety waiver for school groups and minors
When a school or youth group visits, the safety waiver needs two layers. Each child's parent signs the waiver, ideally from a link sent by the school a week before. The group leader then confirms the briefing was given and that supervisors will enforce the rules.
- Send one signing link to the school, which forwards it to parents.
- Ask parents for allergies, medication and an emergency contact.
- Check the group list against signed records on arrival.
- Brief supervisors separately on their role in enforcing rules.
Who can sign for a child, and how states treat parental waivers, is covered in can a minor sign a waiver.
Safety records to keep with each safety waiver
The waiver is one part of a safety record. If an incident happens, you will also want to show the equipment was maintained and staff were trained. Keep these together:
| Record | Why |
|---|---|
| Signed safety waivers | Proof each participant accepted the rules |
| Dated briefing script | Shows what participants were told |
| Equipment inspection log | Shows ordinary care, not gross negligence |
| Instructor training records | Shows staff were qualified to supervise |
| Incident reports | The first account if anything happens |
Safety waiver form: an example scenario
A community maker space runs evening classes on a table saw, band saw and laser cutter. Before, members signed a generic liability waiver. After a near miss where a beginner used the band saw without being shown, the space rewrote it as a safety waiver.
The new form lists six rules with tick boxes, records that a named instructor gave the briefing, and asks two flagged health questions about grip and drowsy medication. It also states that machines may only be used after a sign-off. Members now sign online before their first class, and the instructor checks flags on a tablet at the door. The space's insurer, which had asked about training records, accepted the signed rule acknowledgments as evidence.
Best practices for a safety waiver form
- Write rules as specific actions and keep the list short.
- Match the waiver to the briefing you actually give.
- Date and post the rules where people work.
- Flag health answers that change what staff do.
- Keep the release honest, excluding gross negligence.
- Have a parent sign for anyone under 18.
Running a one-off gathering rather than a class? See the event waiver form. For teams and leagues, see the sports waiver form.
Safety waiver form: FAQ
A safety waiver form records that a participant received a safety briefing, agreed to specific rules, disclosed health conditions and accepted the remaining risks of an activity.
They overlap. A safety waiver puts more emphasis on rules and equipment, while a liability waiver focuses on risk and release. Many forms combine both.
A signed rule acknowledgment is strong evidence the participant knew the rule. It helps, but it does not protect against gross negligence by the business.
A safety release form should include the activity, the briefing, specific rules, risks, health questions, a release, the right to stop participation and a signature.
For workshops with tools, heat, chemicals or machines, a safety waiver is strongly recommended, along with a recorded safety briefing.
For one-off classes, once per session. For ongoing members of a workshop or range, a safety waiver every 12 months, plus a new briefing when equipment changes.
Each child's parent or guardian should sign the safety waiver. The school group leader can separately confirm the briefing and supervision arrangements.
Yes. An online safety waiver signed with a drawn signature is legally recognized, and flagged health answers can be shown to staff at check-in.
This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Laws on waivers vary by country and state, so have a local attorney review any waiver before you rely on it. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.