A commitment to provide and maintain a safe and healthy workplace and environment is an integral part of operations at Newmont Waihi Gold. This is reflected in the health, safety and environmental management systems that exist to protect people and the environment both on and off the site.
We believe that all accidents and injuries are preventable and all workers are entitled to a safe and healthy working environment. Every worker, at the start of every shift, participates in an evaluation of safety on the previous shift and in planning for a safe shift coming up. We monitor and measure our performance each year by tracking the frequency of employee and contractor incidents and establish measures to be taken to improve behaviours and refine procedures.
A safe operation is vital to our success. We have worked hard to establish a safe working environment for our employees and we strive to maintain this. With a safe environment we are able to attract and retain a quality workforce and enhance our reputation in the wider community. Regular employee surveys reveal that a large majority are satisfied with health and safety conditions in the workplace and have high levels of satisfaction with health and safety training and the ability to influence health and safety practices.
Mine Rescue
Newmont Waihi Gold’s Mine Rescue Team exists as part of the company’s Emergency Response Plan. The eighteen-member team is made up of employees drawn from most areas of the operation. Regular training sessions involve responding to emergency scenarios which are planned to test the team’s initiative, skills, response times and ability to competently carry out rescues while under pressure and close scrutiny.
The team is required to maintain skills in six different disciplines:
- Fire fighting
- Rescue at height and depth (rope haulage, abseiling)
- First Aid
- Hazardous Chemical Emergency Response
- Open Circuit Breathing Apparatus
- Closed circuit long duration Breathing Apparatus for Underground Rescue.
As part of Newmont’s commitment to the community, a relationship has been established with local emergency services. Regular exercises and liaison with these groups has broadened the team’s experience and also allowed the community emergency response units to be aware of the equipment and skills that the Mine Rescue Team has to offer.
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