Since the death of a soldier in training in 20041, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has instituted a comprehensive heat injury management project to prevent further casualties. Cold Weather Injury (CWI) has been a less conspicuous feature of Australian military risk management, despite its significant historical threat to military capability. ??The recently introduced Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and associated regulationshowever specifically require Defence to ensure that members ‘carrying out work in extremes of heat or cold are able to carry out work without risk to health and safety’2, making consideration of CWI risk management timely. This article outlines risk factors for CWI identified in both military and civilian medical literature and describes a recently adopted cold injury prevention policy adopted by the 12th/40th Battalion, the Royal Tasmanian Regiment (12/40 RTR), an Army Reserve formation based in Hobart and Launceston.
展开▼
