Aeromedical Delegates have been busy lately, both with the protracted fight to get safe uniforms and with a release last week of an altered roster at Bankstown base, which would have caused significant issues for members working there.

The roster released on Friday 1 October had CCPs moved from the standard two days and two nights and placed on various other combinations, with an unequal distribution – changing a well-established roster pattern at the whim of management and with zero consultation.

This caused delegates to invoke status quo and led to a meeting on Thursday 7 October with NSWA and Aeromedical management. They were forced to overturn this ridiculous change after being given the assurance that ADHSU members would stand together to oppose inappropriate roster changes without prior consultation. This meant a return to the standard roster in time for the Saturday start date.

This week, delegates met with the Service to discuss the rollout of the interim solution of the Summer Sisley tops and the future of the full uniform trial. While positive steps were made towards the trial, including liaison with a textile industry expert, there has been a delay in the rollout of the Sisley shirts. This is now expected to take 6-8 weeks, rather than the expected 3-4 weeks. Delegates have called for a rush on the order of 200 shirts for CCPs. Until they are rolled out and the heat risks of performing duties is mitigated, the following bans are in place from tomorrow, Saturday 16 October:

• CCPs will resume completing post mission MDFs once the Sisley raglan top is rolled out.
• CCPs to resume remote area access training, wearing their own appropriate personal protective clothing at training and on operational remote area missions.
• CCPs will respond to remote area and isolated missions but may request a second CCP response to the area if the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius.
• CCPs may conduct a Thermal Work Limit Risk assessment and implement a 10-minute pause point before responding to any tasking in temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius. CCPs may decline a task where the risk is identified as high, and mitigation cannot be achieved.
• CCPs may elect to stand down for 1 hour post any mission where exposure to high temperatures or excessive sun exposure has occurred.
• CCPs will not wear Tyvek suits or gowns on remote area missions and will stand down until decontamination of clothing is completed on return to base.

These necessary bans were initially delayed during the most recent negotiations and will now do some of the work towards keeping CCPs safe over summer. Well done to the ADHSU Aeromedical delegates who have consistently represented members with aplomb. This past fortnight has been great example of ADHSU members standing together for a better work environment.