Emerging challenges for Risk Management in Chemical, Biological and Radiological Research and Development

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31646/gbio.42

Keywords:

CBRNE, risk management, safety

Abstract

The challenges associated with effective risk management, and the risks of proliferation and developing offensive and defensive capability when working with Chemical, Biological and Radiological agents have recently been highlighted on the world stage. Work in any of the three primary dimensions of CBRNE research and production carries a myriad of potential and actual risks that require careful control, and to avoid individual through to population impacts. Failures in risk controls can result not only in personal injury but also expose the wider population to significant and persistent risks. This editorial touches on some of the recent events relating to work with CBRNE agents, and highlights the challenges faced by the current increasing tempo of research and development in this area.

Author Biography

David Heslop, University of New South Wales

FAFOEM FRACGP MBBS PhD MPH BSc (Adv) Hons 1

I am an Associate Professor at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW and retain military responsibilities as Staff Officer Grade 1 in Public Health, Occupational Medicine and CBRNE to Army Headquarters. I am a practicing vocationally registered General Practitioner, an Occupational and Environmental Medicine Physician, and a fellowship candidate for the Academy of Wilderness Medicine.

My doctoral research focussed on the central autonomic anatomy and integrative neurophysiology relating to the cardiovascular response to noxious inescapable physiological stimuli such as severe haemorrhage and visceral pain. Utilising my research background and subsequent clinical training, through the ADF I have been fortunate to have extensively deployed into a variety of complex and austere combat environments, and have gone on to undertake advanced training in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) Medicine and Senior Medical Officer training. Consequently I was appointed as Senior Medical Officer for Special Operations Command for 2014, and was the Officer Commanding and Senior Medical Officer to the ADF CBRNE medical incident response element at Special Operations Engineer Regiment from 2012-2015.

I have extensive experience in the conception, design, planning, delivery and operations of health support systems and capability in remote and austere contexts; incorporating the management of exotic or novel hazards and risks. Extensive actual experience in planning for and management of major disasters, mass casualty and multiple casualty situations. I also have extensive overseas and domestic operational experience in command, personnel management, force protection, health protection systems, resilient systems design and test and evaluation. Direct responsibility and experience with leading deployable expeditionary medical support.

I am regularly consulted and participate in the development and review of national and international clinical and operational CBRNE policy and doctrine. I am additionally a peer reviewer for the journals Military Medicine (AMSUS) and Journal and Military and Veterans Health (AMMA). I also continue to conduct CBRNE medical, and general medical education and ADF GP Registar training within my military capacity, along with civilian instruction of the Major Incident Medical Management System (MIMMS) framework with MIMMS Australia.

My interests lie in health and medical systems innovation and research. I retain linkages with key national civilian and military education, research and development organisations and retain an active involvement in a wide variety of projects and initiatives supporting national public health preparedness goals. My current research effort and interests touch on complexity science, agent based and deterministic modelling, emergent complex adaptive systems phenomena, test and evaluation of systems, policy research, epidemic modelling, exotic and emerging infections, disaster preparedness and response, organisational resilience in health care, development of robust socio-technical systems in health care, and the modelling, simulation and investigation of public health interventions and systems.

Downloads

Published

2019-09-27

How to Cite

Heslop, D. (2019). Emerging challenges for Risk Management in Chemical, Biological and Radiological Research and Development. Global Biosecurity, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.31646/gbio.42

Issue

Vol. 1 (2019)

Section

CBRNE Perspectives and Analytics

License

Copyright (c) 2019 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Received 2019-09-24
Accepted 2019-09-24
Published 2019-09-27