Australia’s Comcare has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from the Department of Defense after the department allegedly failed to observe its duties under federal workplace safety laws, according to a Comcare report.
The undertaking is a result of a Comcare investigation into an incident at Mt. Arapiles, Victoria, in March 2008 where a Special Forces reservist suffered a serious injury during a night-time military ropes training exercise.(WCxKit)
The reservist was required to rappel down a 100-meter (109.1 yards.) cliff face and was injured when he fell from the end of the rope to the ground at the base of the cliff face approximately five to eight meters (26.2 ft.) below. The rope was short due to the manner in which its anchor point was constructed at the top of the cliff.
The investigation found Defense failed to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health and safety of its employees at work, including the reservist.
In response to the incident and the Comcare investigation, Defense has already taken steps to address safety deficiencies.
As part of the undertaking, defense is required to make a number of mandatory improvements to its military roping doctrine and training that deliver further benefits to the health and safety of its ADF Members.(WCxKit)
Comcare’s General Manager of Work Health and Safety, Neil Quarmby, said while these types of accidents should not happen, the changes made by Defense in its roping doctrine and training methods should ensure better and safer practices in the future.
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