NSW implementing COVID-19 health and safety national protocol

The NSW Minerals Council has strongly endorsed the strict national COVID-19 health and safety protocols agreed in partnership with the Australian government, the Minerals Council of Australia and state resources chambers.

“Implementation of the national resource industry protocols by the NSW mining sector is critical to protect our mining employees and their families and to ensure mines can remain operational across the state,” NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee said today.

“NSW Mining operations have already implemented extensive workforce protection measures in accordance with public advice, including enhanced monitoring, increased cleaning and sanitation, work from home policies, social distancing, screening measures for visitors and many more.”

“It is now vital that all NSW mines understand and adhere to the measures outlined in the national protocols by implementing robust and sustainable COVID-19 management plans,” Mr Galilee said.

The new COVID-19 national protocols have been developed to keep our industry’s workforce, families and communities safe and healthy and sites operating. The protocols formalise many of the measures already implemented and represent the industry’s commitment to meet government’s expectations of performance for essential services.

This follows the unanimous support for a coordinated approach to ensuring the continued operation of the resources sector as an essential industry by the nation’s resources ministers last week.

Mining is a key industry for NSW underpinning our state economy as well as the economies of hundreds of regional communities. The sector provides around 40,000 direct jobs and supports tens of thousands more jobs in around 7000 mining supplier businesses across the state.

“Mining is playing an important role supporting our economy during this difficult time. And as mines implement their COVID-19 management plans, our industry will be ready to take on our share of the economic heavy-lifting as NSW starts to rebuild in the future,” Mr Galilee said.

More information on the mining industries response to COVID-19 can be found here.

Callum Fountain