March 30, 2019 Over the past several weeks a series of precautionary measures have been implemented at Victor Mine as part of the company’s response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We remain focused on continuing operations at the mine as long as possible to provide continuity to our employees, communities and local and regional economies. To date all travellers allowed on site have passed pre-screening requirements and there have been no cases of COVID-19 on site. Pre-Site Access/Employee Communication: - De Beers Group has instituted a screening process for both employee/contractors from the southern and northern workforce. The screening process features both risk-based questions regarding travel and contact with confirmed COVID-19 impacted individuals and also features a fever screening process with the cut off for boarding at a conservative 38°C. The screening is conducted by qualified medical contractors and results are sent to the site as part of the onboarding package which will allow for further investigation of presumptive positive cases (symptomatic individuals) - All aviation carriers have been requested to review and tailor their aircraft cleaning schedules to transmission prevention and include such actions as: The removal of magazines and other potential material that can prevent a contact concern Reduction of washroom use onboard to absolute necessity circumstances Reduction of hospitality services to the distribution of water bottles only Modification of pre-boarding and in-flight procedures to reduce in-person contact where possible - The bus picking employees and contractors up from the airstrip offers hand sanitizing wipes for all personnel to use upon onboarding - Bus seating restricted to one person per bench - Only individuals required for continued operation of the mine are allowed to come to site, and as such all visitors and guests are restricted from site - Continuous reminders to everyone on site through toolbox meetings, posters, and educational videos regarding the importance of personal hygiene as a critical preventative measure against the transmission of the virus, including: frequent handwashing with soap and hot water; social distancing, especially while travelling in public to and from the mine, and while at home; regular reminders to call in sick if you are ill; asking employees to stay home if they have come into contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or if they are in close contact with individuals undergoing a 14-day self-isolation period - Expanded communication channels to take every step possible to provide current information to employees
Transcript
March 30, 2019 Over the past several weeks a series of precautionary measures have been implemented at Victor Mine as part of the company’s response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We remain focused on continuing operations at the mine as long as possible to provide continuity to our employees, communities and local and regional economies. To date all travellers allowed on site have passed pre-screening requirements and there have been no cases of COVID-19 on site. Pre-Site Access/Employee Communication:
- De Beers Group has instituted a screening process for both employee/contractors from the southern and northern workforce. The screening process features both risk-based questions regarding travel and contact with confirmed COVID-19 impacted individuals and also features a fever screening process with the cut off for boarding at a conservative 38°C. The screening is conducted by qualified medical contractors and results are sent to the site as part of the onboarding package which will allow for further investigation of presumptive positive cases (symptomatic individuals)
- All aviation carriers have been requested to review and tailor their aircraft cleaning schedules to transmission prevention and include such actions as:
The removal of magazines and other potential material that can prevent a contact concern
Reduction of washroom use onboard to absolute necessity circumstances Reduction of hospitality services to the distribution of water bottles only Modification of pre-boarding and in-flight procedures to reduce in-person
contact where possible - The bus picking employees and contractors up from the airstrip offers hand sanitizing
wipes for all personnel to use upon onboarding - Bus seating restricted to one person per bench - Only individuals required for continued operation of the mine are allowed to come to site,
and as such all visitors and guests are restricted from site - Continuous reminders to everyone on site through toolbox meetings, posters, and
educational videos regarding the importance of personal hygiene as a critical preventative measure against the transmission of the virus, including: frequent handwashing with soap and hot water; social distancing, especially while travelling in public to and from the mine, and while at home; regular reminders to call in sick if you are ill; asking employees to stay home if they have come into contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or if they are in close contact with individuals undergoing a 14-day self-isolation period
- Expanded communication channels to take every step possible to provide current information to employees
On Site Prevention Techniques
- Kitchen Processes The Kitchen and Dining room present potential for contact transmission and as such several measures have been put into place to ensure this potential is mitigated. All methods of self-serve using common utensils (i.e. tongs, spoons etc.) have
been eliminated. This includes all self-service distribution bars. Alternatives including individually packaged salads, soups and deserts.
A mandatory hand washing policy and washing stations have been put into place. Individuals are “funnelled” into the kitchen directly to the sanitation station and must wash hands prior to entering the facility
Chairs have been removed to ensure compliance to the maximum and table orientations have been adjusted to promote self-distancing during mealtime
All condiments that could be shared (ketchup/sauces/salt/pepper) have been removed in favour of individual packets.
Cellular phones are banned from the dining room to further assure against potentially contaminated materials entering the eating facility without being cleaned prior to entry.
- Camp Cleaning Processes
De Beers has been working closely with Attawapiskat Catering Limited Partnership (ACLP) to ensure that their cleaning and service capabilities are sufficient to effectively combat the potential for contact transmission. ACLP has increased cleaning of surfaces by three times the normal rate and provided assurance that the cleaning agents used meet the requirements to effectively sanitize against COVID-19.
Hand sanitizing stations have continuously been available to all employees and will continue throughout operations. De Beers has sourced sufficient stores of sanitizers for operations moving forward.
- Gym Facilities
Health and wellness are considered exceptionally important to combatting the effects of illness. The gymnasium will continue to be operated providing the workforce with the ability to maintain their physical and mental wellness however there are some alterations that are being put into place to combat the potential for touch transmission.
- Medical Process
The site compliment of medical staff and offsite resources of the Porcupine Health Unit is in place to ensure that all employees/contractors have suitable medical attention 24/7.
Employees who develop any signs of illness while on site are advised to remain in their dorm rooms and call for help. Do not report to medic's office.
Site medic(s) are fully equipped with the necessary tools to manage potential patients. Of particular importance is the personal protective equipment used by medical staff to treat patients and consumable supplies that are required for effective care. Victor Mine has gone through an extensive review of stores and supplies have been found as sufficient.
Air medevac services are currently and will continue to be available to the mine site and will be used for priority patients as required
Site personnel (contractors and employees) files are being assessed for the paid exclusion of those with conditions that are especially susceptible to COVID-19 including those over the age of 65.
- Quarantine Wing
A full wing of the camp accommodations has been set aside for a quarantine wing that will be used to house symptomatic individuals. All individuals presenting symptoms of influenza (which often mimic COVID-19) would be placed in the quarantine wing and await the relief of symptoms or more active treatment if required.
Quarantine protocols have been outlined in site Health Pandemic work instruction.
Should quarantine area be required for use, operations will be managed through on-site medic in consultation with Medical Director and regional Porcupine Health Unit.
The quarantine room features zones that has taken into consideration the need for dedicated lavatory and laundry facilities for affected personnel.
Quarantine protocols would see a heightened focus on the mental wellbeing of anyone that is placed in quarantine. Consideration has been given towards access to our Employee Assistance Program (psychological help), contact with family by way of telephone and personal devices.
- Shift Alterations
The promotion of social distancing has been incorporated into several areas on site including meetings at site. Toolbox (start of shift) meetings have been redesigned and scheduled to encourage the inclusion of social distancing by keeping workers at least 2m apart wherever possible
The Timmins Mon-Thurs rotation has been split effectively halving the amount of travel to site with half the team working at site while the other works from home offices.
4 employees who reside in remote, primarily fly-in coastal communities in Ontario have returned home in order to eliminate a potential path for the virus to be transmitted to these communities which have limited medical facilities or are more than three hours by road to advanced medical care. Included communities are: Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, and Moose Factory.
Site Departure Process:
- Check-out procedures feature efforts to minimize the density of individuals at the check-out area prior to departure from site. The following have been implemented: Check-outs and offsite security/health screening will occur in groups of ~20 people Southbound screening process for both employee/contractors. The screening
process features both risk-based questions regarding travel and contact with confirmed COVID-19 impacted individuals and also features a fever screening process with the cut off for boarding at a conservative 38°C.
- The passenger bus delivering employees/contractors to the airstrip will also offer hand
sanitizing wipes for all personnel to use.
March 30, 2020
VICTOR MINE COVID-19PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
INTERNAL
1
Over the past several weeks a series of precautionary measures have been implemented at Victor Mine as part of the company’s response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.We remain focused on continuing work on the site as long as possible to provide continuity to our employees, contractors and local and regional economies.To date all travellers allowed on site have passed pre-screening requirements and there have been no cases of COVID-19 on site.In addition to pre-screening prior to coming to site, we have implemented screening after seven (7) days on site and prior to leaving site.Personnel room assignments have been or will be changed as necessary so only one person will be assigned to a room (no cross shift in room) and the room sharing the washroom will no longer be shared.
INTRODUCTION
2
AIRPORT SCREENING – YTS AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING
Private screening room at YTS and line up to receive your boarding pass
Physical distancing at Timmins airport – X marks where people cannot sit
3
AIRPORT SCREENING – VICTOR MINE
Thermometer used for screening after 7 days on site and on the day employees leave.
Extra medical equipment in the health clinic
4
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT THE MINE SITE
Hand sanitizer installed around site: 47 hand sanitizer dispensers installed in main camp.
5
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT THE MINE SITE
Hand washing instructions in washrooms
6
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT VICTOR AIRPORT
Notice to sanitize your hands prior to enter camp. Security screening bins disinfected after each use.
7
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM PREVENTION
Increased spacing between tables in the dining room. Last chance to sanitize your hands before receiving your food.
Individually wrapped fruit and vegetables. Individual condiment containers.
10
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM PREVENTION
Individually packaged desserts.
11
ESTABLISHED QUARANTINE ZONE
Restricted area sign on Dorm B entrance. Exiting instruction when leaving Dorm B quarantine.
12
ESTABLISHED QUARANTINE ZONE
Newly installed door for B dorm quarantine area.
13
ERT PREPARING TO HELP
Emergency Response Team (ERT) members trained to assist the physician’s assistant on site.
14
PPE FOR ERT
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available for Emergency Response Team.
March 30, 2020
VICTOR MINE COVID-19PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
INTERNAL
1
Over the past several weeks a series of precautionary measures have been implemented at Victor Mine as part of the company’s response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.We remain focused on continuing work on the site as long as possible to provide continuity to our employees, contractors and local and regional economies.To date all travellers allowed on site have passed pre-screening requirements and there have been no cases of COVID-19 on site.In addition to pre-screening prior to coming to site, we have implemented screening after seven (7) days on site and prior to leaving site.Personnel room assignments have been or will be changed as necessary so only one person will be assigned to a room (no cross shift in room) and the room sharing the washroom will no longer be shared.
INTRODUCTION
2
AIRPORT SCREENING – YTS AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING
Private screening room at YTS and line up to receive your boarding pass
Physical distancing at Timmins airport – X marks where people cannot sit
3
AIRPORT SCREENING – VICTOR MINE
Thermometer used for screening after 7 days on site and on the day employees leave.
Extra medical equipment in the health clinic
4
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT THE MINE SITE
Hand sanitizer installed around site: 47 hand sanitizer dispensers installed in main camp.
5
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT THE MINE SITE
Hand washing instructions in washrooms
6
PERSONAL HYGIENE AT VICTOR AIRPORT
Notice to sanitize your hands prior to enter camp. Security screening bins disinfected after each use.
7
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM PREVENTION
Increased spacing between tables in the dining room. Last chance to sanitize your hands before receiving your food.
