Thursday, 28 March, 2024
HomeCoronavirus WatchMining industry announces measures to deal with COVID-19

Mining industry announces measures to deal with COVID-19

With COVID-19 cases confirmed in South Africa, the Minerals Council South Africa has emphasised the importance of mitigating measures that need to be implemented in the mining industry, reports Mining Weekly. The Minerals Council has indicated that the mining sector has special circumstance that could make it vulnerable to the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. It noted that employees congregated in areas of work and travelled in close proximity.

Moreover, as mining often involved physical activity, there could be a high degree of exposure to the virus simply through contact with people, machinery and equipment, the council said. Also, mining executives and officials who visit offshore operations were at risk of contracting the virus in other countries and bringing the infection into South Africa, said the council.

However, the Minerals Council noted that the mining industry had extensive and existing systems in place to deal with communicable diseases, as well as for the monitoring of health and the provision of healthcare.

The report said the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, meanwhile, has questioned the readiness of mining houses to deal with the inherent dangers of especially working areas in mines, given the confinement of large groups of workers.

For employees, the mining industry is ensuring access to masks, sanitisers and testing kits as well as equipment such as temperature monitors. The Times reports that the industry is also advocating the use of proactive influenza vaccinations. Its action plan further encompasses “understanding the potential impact on employees who may be immuno-compromised”, case definition and management, and isolation of employees should the need arise.

The report says other sectors are also compiling workplace policies to deal with the coronavirus. Driver training organisation MasterDrive South Africa said it had taken steps to protect the health of employees and the company's clients. Travel industry grouping Asata (Association of Southern African Travel Agents) called for calm after the announcement of the first coronavirus case in South Africa. “We urge travellers to share only information that has been confirmed by an official source like the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, World Health Organisation or Asata, as there is a lot of fake news doing the rounds,” says Otto de Vries, Asata CEO.

Netcare Group CEO Dr Richard Friedland said all of its facilities have implemented additional precautionary safeguards to protect all patients, visitors, staff members, doctors, and health care and other service providers. This includes ensuring that every person entering its facilities cleans their hands and verbal screenings for COVID-19 risk at the main points of entry as a first line of defence, with further screenings where indicated. Daily screening of all of staff, including personnel of external service providers in all areas of the business, is also in effect.

[link url="https://www.miningweekly.com/article/council-says-mining-industry-is-ready-to-respond-to-covid-19-2020-03-06/rep_id:3650"]Full Mining Weekly report[/link]

[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-03-06-masks-and-flu-jabs-for-mineworkers-as-sa-firms-act-to-combat-coronavirus/"]Full report in The Times[/link]

MedicalBrief — our free weekly e-newsletter

We'd appreciate as much information as possible, however only an email address is required.