A University of Otago research grouping which has just run a two-day conference in Dunedin could also play a big role in helping protect the health of Defence Force staff, Squadron Leader Tim Hopkins said yesterday.
Sqn Ldr Hopkins was commenting during a wide-ranging discussion on management of environmental risk and chemical exposure guidelines, on the final day of the conference, held at the Dunedin Club.
The gathering was co-ordinated by Assoc Prof David McBride and organised by Otago University researchers focusing on the health of veterans, serving defence personnel and their families.
The gathering's second day, devoted to current research, had earlier been opened by Major-general Dave Gawn, Chief of Army in the New Zealand Defence Force.
Major Phil Wright had also discussed a more systematic approach to environmental health risk assessments which had been adopted.
He highlighted the need to protect soldiers in overseas postings against many inhaled substances, including environmental pollutants which could include potentially carcinogenic industrial chemicals.
He also discussed environmental health risk assessments which had been undertaken in respect of several recent Defence Force deployments, including dust risks involving soldiers deployed at the former Red Zone security area in earthquake-damaged Christchurch and potential risks involving petroleum products being cleaned up by defence staff after the grounding of the container ship Rena near Tauranga, in 2011.
Sqn Ldr Hopkins said the Defence Force was on a ''journey'' to further improve workplace health and safety, and it had now acquired powerful mobile testing equipment able to take samples in the field to better alert commanders to environmental risks, including the presence of hazardous chemicals.
The NZDF still had some way to catch up with other militaries, including that of the United States, where much greater resources were available, including to conduct a recent $40 million study of environmental risks in Iraq.
The NZDF had ''limited resources'' and ''it does take time and effort''.
The Otago University researchers already working on NZDF-related health issues could play a positive role in helping to better protect serving personnel and veterans in future, including by networking with overseas researchers, he said.
And it was important for the NZDF to continue close consultation with the Australian Defence Force to avoid wasting resources.
Much could also be gained from a highly comprehensive system of chemical hazard identification developed by the US military, he said.
