Gold miner Harmony Gold has published a document outlining the measures it has implemented to protect returning employees from contracting or spreading Covid-19.

The company operates in South Africa and Papua New Guinea, which each implemented respective lockdown measures from mid-March.

However, both countries have now allowed mining operations to resume at a larger scale, while remaining mindful of minimal staff requirements on site.

Harmony says its recall of employees from within South Africa and labour-sending areas within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been informed by stakeholder engagement and return to work action plans. 

The engagement included discussions with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, trade unions, joint operational centres, South African provincial command centres, the consulates of SADC countries and Teba, which is an organisation providing a range of employee-related services to the mining industry.

“We have human resources teams at each of our operations responsible for selecting returning employees, who are then notified by SMS or their local Teba office. Travelling permits can be accessed from the Harmony website and either printed by employees or collected at their local Teba office or police station.

“Employees with pre-existing medical conditions that make them particularly vulnerable have been identified for close monitoring throughout the return to work process,” says CEO Peter Steenkamp.

Harmony has also developed an app called Harmony Connect, which is keeping employees informed about the return to work process and the vital importance of the measures put in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

In Papua New Guinea, Harmony has a bespoke Facebook page to help stay connected with employees, their families, communities and other stakeholders throughout the crisis.

The company also uses buses and taxis, which are thoroughly sanitised before and after each journey, to transport employees to the mines. Each passenger is temperature screened, sanitised and issued with personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves before boarding and 1 m physical distancing is applied.

Harmony has implemented screening and cleaning initiatives at hostel areas as well.

Further, at the start of each shift, all employees are temperature screened and issued with masks and gloves, which are worn throughout the shift. The company applies physical distancing and provides soap, water and sanitisers throughout the workplace.

Employees have to complete a health self-assessment each day, which is available in various languages, on the app or as a hard copy.

Should an employee show flu-like symptoms, they will be either required to self-isolate at home or be isolated at one of Harmony’s facilities under medical surveillance. Those who test positive for Covid-19 will be quarantined at one of the company’s quarantine sites.

The company has set up a 200-room facility in the Free State, and a 150-room facility in North West, in South Africa, for quarantine purposes.

“Now, and going forward to whatever will emerge as the world’s 'new normal', the safety and health of our employees at work, both in South Africa and Papua New Guinea, is our focus,” Steenkamp states.