To prepare for and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, Kinross has implemented several initiatives at the operational level to prioritize the health and safety of our workforce and the communities where we operate.
These initiatives include:
- Communicating continuously with employees to promote awareness of the importance of hygienic practices, and encouraging those feeling symptoms to remain at home and immediately contact a medical provider and/or the site clinic;
- Staggering shift and meal schedules to ensure social distancing;
- Using temperature screening and questionnaires at entry points;
- Restricting non-essential visitors and deliveries to sites;
- Practicing social distancing, by holding meetings outdoors when possible;
- Minimizing crowding and encouraging smaller groups, resulting in extended cafeteria hours and more virtual meetings;
- Suspending group social activities and closing gathering centres (e.g. gyms, coffee areas);
- Increasing the frequency of cleaning in common areas and providing operators with disinfectant to clean equipment prior to and following their shifts;
- Making more personal protective equipment available, including gloves and masks, and;
- Designating isolation rooms to separate employees presenting any flu-like symptoms.
“Our global operational team is working to implement these new procedures to ensure we are proactively addressing this unprecedented situation at all levels of our organization,” said Paul Tomory, Executive Vice-President and Chief Technical Officer. “We are sharing best practices and are in constant communication with our team to ensure we remain vigilant, and that the health and safety of our workforce and communities remains our top priority as we move forward.”
More helpful safety tips can be found in our recent COVID-19 update.