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Department of Agriculture

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  6. Cleaning instructions - Personal equipment

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Biosecurity and trade
    • Biosecurity
      • Coronavirus
        • Food and agriculture
        • Exports
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      • Commonwealth Biosecurity 2030
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      • Aircraft, vessels and military
        • Aircraft
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              • Anti-fouling and in-water cleaning guidelines
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          • Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS)
            • MARS communications and training materials
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          • Non-commercial vessels
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            • Importing vessels with timber components frequently asked questions
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          • Offshore installations
            • Offshore Installations Biosecurity Guide
          • Plants and insects
            • Burnt pine longicorn beetle - person in charge questionnaire and statement
          • Pre-arrival reporting for certain Australian External Territories
          • Reportable biosecurity incidents
        • Military
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            • Cleaning instructions - Personal equipment
          • Visiting military
            • Essential biosecurity information for military forces
            • Foreign government vessels invoking sovereign immunity
          • Cleaning requirements
          • Military frequently asked questions
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          • Offshore inspections of military equipment
          • Ration packs
        • Transhipping through Australia
          • Transhipped ship’s stores lodgement cover sheet
      • Biosecurity in Australia
        • Biosecurity Advanced Analytics Capability
        • Detector dogs
        • Innovative Biosecurity 3D X-ray Project
        • Modernising Australia’s approach to managing established pests and diseases of national significance: Discussion paper
        • Northern biosecurity
          • Aquatic pest biosecurity community awareness
          • Biosecurity Business Grants Program
          • Ranger Capability Building Grants Program
          • Biosecurity-it’s everyone’s business virtual reality experience
          • Country Handle with Care - Costa and dirtgirl Tackle Biosecurity
          • Frontline-northern biosecurity’s community song
          • Frontline Ranger Newsletter
          • Rabies Awareness-Keep a Top Watch! in your community animation
          • Report a pest, weed or disease in Northern Australia
          • You can be a Biosecurity Champion too!
            • Developing industry and supporting local growers
        • Northern Australia Biosecurity Strategy 2030
        • Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS)
          • Co-operative biosecurity in northern Australia
          • Aircraft arriving on the Australian mainland from Torres Strait
          • NAQS target pests, diseases and weeds
          • Moving goods to, from and within Torres Strait
          • Significant events in the history of NAQs
            • Celebrating 30 years of co-operative biosecurity in northern Australia
            • Commemorating 25 years of NAQS
          • Shipping and yachting in the Torres Strait
          • Map of NAQS zones
        • Public awareness and education
          • Australian biosecurity webinar series
          • Australian Biosecurity Awards
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          • Pacific engagement
            • Exporting to Australia from the Pacific
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            • Australia's biosecurity system
            • Inside the department
              • Meet the team
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          • Be a Junior Biosecurity Officer
        • Reform of the biosecurity system
          • Biosecurity Training Centre
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          • Biosecurity Matters Newsletter
          • Australian Quarantine a shared responsibility: The Nairn report
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        • Pest and disease surveillance at Australia’s borders
        • Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Biosecurity Strategy
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          • Apply now
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            • Draft report fact sheet
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        • Exercises
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          • NBC approach to the NEBRA five year review recommendations
        • Horse Disease Response Levy review
        • Wildlife Exotic Disease Preparedness Program
          • Feral animals as hosts of exotic disease: Identification of potential disease contact between feral animals and sites of exotic disease incursion
          • Avian Influenza Viruses in Migratory Shorebirds and Nomadic Water Fowl in South Australia
          • Avian Migration and Movement pathogens in the Australo-Papuan context
          • AWHN OIE Report 2004
          • AWHN OIE Report 2005
          • Destroy and Let Lie Disposal Project
          • Development and Validation - Newcastle Disease
          • Field Surveillance and Monitoring - Leishmania in the Northern Territory
          • Final report: preparing Australia by preparing Papua New Guinea
          • GIS Mapping Software in National Surveillance Database
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra virus
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra Virus (2)
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra Virus Strain Diversity (Stage 1)
          • Improving the Relevance and Efficiency of Wild Bird Surveillance for AI
          • Reservoirs of Infection: The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Emerging Pathogen
          • Summary Report - Contraceptives Pigs
          • Summary Report - pigs disease spread
      • Animal
      • Plant
      • Pests, diseases and weeds
      • Environmental biosecurity
        • Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer
        • Environmental Biosecurity Framework
        • Environmental biosecurity stakeholder engagement
        • Priority list of exotic pests, weeds and diseases
        • The Environmental Biosecurity Project Fund
      • Biosecurity questions and answers
      • Legislation
        • List of Biosecurity Preparedness Plans
        • List of Goods That May Carry Hitchhiker Pests
        • The Biosecurity Act 2015
          • Changes to import requirements
          • Introduction to the Biosecurity Act Interactive Learning tool
          • Reviewable decisions
        • Reportable biosecurity incidents
          • Reportable biosecurity incidents form
        • Compliance and enforcement
          • Biosecurity Compliance Plan 2016-17
          • Biosecurity Compliance Statement
          • Compliance and enforcement tools
          • Redline - report a biosecurity breach
          • Export and import laws and the role of the department
          • Infringement Notice Scheme
      • Fees and charges
      • Forms

Cleaning instructions - Personal equipment

Australian Defence Force deployments pose a biosecurity risk to Australia through the movement of contaminated vehicles, machinery, equipment and personal items providing a route for the entry of exotic pests and disease. The following information provides guidance on Australian biosecurity requirements associated with Australian Defence Force personnel returning to Australia from an overseas mission.

All personnel equipment will be inspected by biosecurity officers either prior to departure or on entry into Australia. Should contamination be detected on inspection of any item, further cleaning will be required. Returning Australian Defence Force personnel are required to ensure all items of clothing and equipment are clean and free of seed, plant material, soil, insects and animals, as detailed in the list below.

Clothing

Clothing, which includes under garments, hats, socks and any scarf type item, is to be cleaned of all soil, seed​s and plant material. All pockets should be unzipped/fastened and turned inside out if possible to remove all debris.

Footwear

All types of footwear are to be cleaned, removing all soil, animal and plant material. If required, scrub the items with soap and water, and allow the item to dry. Laces are to be removed from the footwear and all straps, velcro, zip, or fast lace systems are to be thoroughly cleaned. Particular attention is to be paid to the area of the footwear around the tongue and fastening system where there is a fold in the footwear material that can allow plant, soil and insect material to collect.

Knives, bayonets and blades

Includes knives, bayonets, entrenching tools, machete and universal tools (Leatherman, Gerbar). Carry pouches for these items are to be cleaned as well as field packs and webbing. Knives, bayonets, entrenching tools and universal tools are to be cleaned of all soil, plant and insect material and can then be lightly oiled.

Webbing and packs

All webbing and packs are to be disassembled and all pockets and apertures are to be opened, turned inside out and cleaned. Most webbing and packs may be subject to a ‘wipe clean’, however, items that have soil embedded in them are to be scrubbed with a brush and water to remove the soil and allowed to air dry. Attention should be paid to pouch fasteners, belt clips, buckles and velcro fastenings to ensure that no soil, plant, or insect debris is caught in these areas. Belts are to be disassembled including pad belts to ensure all possible areas of contamination are inspected and cleaned. Water bottle pouches are particularly susceptible to seed and plant material becoming embedded in the lining and should be thoroughly checked to ensure all contamination is removed.

Trunks

Plastic trunks are to be subject to a wash down to remove all soil, plant and insect matter. Metal trunks are subject to the same cleaning process as plastic trunks, with particular attention to the metal lips on the ends of the trunk, locks, and under the rubber seal inside the lid.

Bags: Echelon, diver’s, equipment (duffle bags)

Echelon bags are to be turned inside out and all soil, plant and insect debris removed. The bag is subject to a ‘wipe clean’, however, if there is soil embedded in the fabric they are to be scrubbed with a brush and water to remove the soil and allowed to air dry.

Helmets

Remove cam and/or cloth covers and wash in hot water. Ensure inside lining, headband and chinstraps are clean and free of any soil, plant and insect matter.

Scrub helmet with a brush and water if contaminated with embedded soil. Check all velcro straps to ensure that all plant and seed material is removed.

Cloth hats and caps

Wash cloth hats and caps with hot water and remove all soil, plant and insect matter.

Gloves

Gloves are particularly susceptible to soil and plant contamination. Gloves are to be scrubbed with water and a brush.

Sleeping materials

Ensure sleeping bags are clean and free of any soil, plant and insect matter. Sleeping bags must be turned inside out to ensure no soil, plant, insect matter, or animals are trapped inside.  Sleeping bags, liners and other sleeping materials are to be washed using hot water.

Stretchers

Prior to inspection, remove canvas/cloth from wooden or aluminium poles and braces. Canvas/cloth is to be cleaned by using a high-pressure water hose. Poles are to be washed and scrubbed with water and a brush to remove all plant, soil and insect matter.

Stretchers are to be left disassembled for inspection.

Cover body armour and inserts

Plates are to be removed and cleaned as necessary to remove any soil, plant and insect matter. The cover or coat is to be brushed or washed clean of any soil, plant and insect debris paying particular attention to the plate pocket and overlapping cloth areas.

Mosquito nets, camouflage nets and tents

Ensure that all mosquito nets, camouflage nets, tents, tent poles and tent pegs are clean and free of any soil, plant and insect matter.

Wet weather clothing

Wash all wet weather protective clothing, including Japara, to remove all soil, plant and insect debris.

Rope assembly

Remove all twigs, foliage etc. that has become embedded in the rope fibres and then wash to remove all soil, plant and insect matter.

First aid dressing

To be removed from pouch or untapped from webbing to ensure no soil, plant and insect matter has been trapped on the tape or in between tape and dressing.

Cloth neck (sweat cloth)

Remove all twigs, foliage etc. that may have become embedded in the cloth fibres. Wash if necessary, to remove all soil, plant and insect matter.

Shelter individual (shelter half)

Wash to remove all soil, plant and insect debris.

Insulation tape

Remove all insulation tape that has been used to hold items and other accessories onto webbing.

For further information please contact the Machinery and Military Team:

Phone: +61 7 3246 8755
Email: Military

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

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Last updated: 04 November 2019

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.