2007, Piran, Slovenia

Occupational Thermal Problems
DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY
IN AUSTRALIAN NAVY DIVERS
Herb Groeller, Nigel A.S. Taylor
Human Performance Laboratories, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Contact person: hgroell@uow.edu.au
INTRODUCTION
Clearance Divers are the specialist divers of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), who
undertake a wide variety of land- and water-based activities. Diving personnel are employed
into one of three operational elements within a diving team: (i) Mine Countermeasures; (ii)
Maritime Tactical Operations; and (iii) Underwater Battle Damage Repair. Clearance Divers
from these teams fulfil various operational roles, for example: mine countermeasures diving;
explosive ordnance disposal and demolitions support, clandestine reconnaissance and survey,
post-damage repair; ship protection against mining and surface swimmer saboteur attack;
operational maritime survey; and defence aid to the civil community. Divers prepare for these
often very strenuous duties by engaging in a combination of daily, compulsory physical
training, supplemented with extensive voluntary physical training. The combination of
strenuous duties and physical training regimens expose divers to increased risk of injury.
More than 95% of divers reported injuries whilst undertaking their duties, and of all the
injuries incurred by Clearance Divers in a two-year period, 72% could be attributed to
physical training. This rate of injury was significantly higher than observed in other
Australian Defence Force personnel (50%).
Therefore, the objectives of this investigation were: (i) to study the key physiological
demands of tasks performed by Clearance Divers, (ii) to assess the physical fitness of divers,
(iii) to examine the suitability of physical training regimens to meet these task demands, and
(iv) to develop a system to enhance diver capability through improved physical training and
rehabilitation regimens.
METHODS
Subjective assessment: In consultation with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel, an
extensive survey was administered to 54 divers. The questionnaire was designed to screen
divers in whom maximal physical fitness testing would be contraindicated, to evaluate the
incidence of work-related injuries in the sample of divers studied, to evaluate the habitual
physical activity patterns of these divers, and to obtain from that sample, subjective
assessments of the difficulty of selected routine, tasks and the frequency with which these
tasks are performed.
Field-based fitness assessment: Since it was determined through consultation with
commanding officers, that the current members of AUSCDT1 were performing their duties to
a high level of efficiency and success, it was deemed appropriate to evaluate the physical
fitness of a sample of the current Clearance Diver population, and thereby gain an
appreciation of the physical attributes associated with successful work performance (Taylor
and Groeller, 2003). To perform this assessment, a battery of field-based fitness tests were
employed, and administered to 54 divers. Five categories of physical fitness attributes were
evaluated: cardiorespiratory and local muscle endurance, local muscle strength, muscle
power, flexibility and anthropometry.
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