Updated: 3 April 2020

The mining industry is playing an important role in providing economic stability for Western Australia and the nation during this COVID-19 crisis.  Our role and responsibility, both as a company and as individuals, is to protect our people and the broader community while continuing to support the economy.

Our Crisis Response Team (CRT) have, and continue to, proactively implement measures to change the way we operate our business to ensure the health and safety of our people and our communities.  As a minimum, these measures conform with the guidelines and advice of the Commonwealth and State governments.

The Measures We Have In Place To Keep Our People Safe

Our health and safety measures across our workplaces in response the virus are continuously updated to respond to the increased global understanding of the virus and changing government directives and guidelines. We have changed the way we work to help prevent the spread of infection in our workplaces and we strictly enforce and promote all Commonwealth and State government advice.

Welfare of our People

We understand that this situation can be a stressful time for many people and accordingly have implemented a number of measures to ensure the welfare of our people, including:

• A special COVID-19 leave provision of 20 days in addition to standard leave provisions.
• Regularly communicating to our people on what measures we are taking to prevent the spread of the infection and ensuring we are staying connected with them.
• Protecting individuals in our team who may be at higher risk to ensure they are safe.
• Education packages.
• Employee Assistance programs.

Travel Restrictions and Screening

In line with travel restrictions announced by the Commonwealth and State governments, we have introduced protocols relating to travel for our people in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• International Travel Restrictions – International travel by our staff is not permitted.
• Interstate Travel Restrictions– since 24 March 2020, anyone arriving from outside WA will need to quarantine for 14 days. We are working with our people who are directly affected by this and will provide extensions to rosters and temporary or permanent relocation options to WA. We will continue to work with those who are affected by these restrictions to ensure they stay connected with the business.
• Intrastate travel – since midnight 31 March 2020, restrictions apply to travel within WA. We are working with our people to ensure they are aware of the requirements and restrictions and will support those who are affected by these restrictions.
• All non-essential travel for non-operational personnel to our site is postponed until further notice.

Mandatory health screening processes including temperature checks have been introduced as a requirement for entry onto any of IGO’s sites.  

Social Distancing

Social distancing is being facilitated, promoted and enforced throughout our business.  Some of these measures include:

• Changes to pre-start meetings.
• Additional charter flights and bus services to ensure an approximate 50% loading.
• Changes to food services and communal eating areas.
• Wet mess (licensed) area has been closed with limited takeaways.
• Strict enforcement of 2 metre physical distancing.

Working from Home

If practical, our people, including our South Perth office, Nova and Exploration teams, are required to work from home. Our South Perth office remains open with skeleton staffing.

Hygiene

We have increased hygiene practices across all sites including increased cleaning of all high contact surfaces and areas are regularly cleaned. We are communicating the need to practice good hygiene.

Protecting Our Local Communities

Caring for our people and the broader community whilst ensuring economic support is important during this global crisis.

Our exploration activities around Nova and on the Fraser Range are continuing as planned. Elsewhere, to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our community, and in line with guidance from the relevant stakeholders, IGO has suspended all exploration activities at Lake Mackay and in the East and West Kimberley regions. Resources made available by this suspension have been re-deployed to our  the Fraser Range work programs.

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