Canadian gold miner Kirkland Lake has suspended nonessential work and visits to the Detour Lake mine site, in Ontario, after a worker tested positive for Covid-19.
The company said at the weekend that the worker arrived on the mine site on March 12, began showing symptoms and self-isolated on March 14. The workers was taken from the site on the morning of March 16.
Kirkland said that employees were told to be particularly vigilant in self-monitoring for signs of symptoms.
The Porcupine Health Unit also visited Detour Lake mine on Saturday, to review the company’s health and safety protocols related to Covid-19.
Kirkland stated that its protocols include, among others, remote work for those employees who can work from home and the suspension of nonessential work and visits to site, which reduced the on-site workforce from about 1 100 to 300. The suspension of nonessential work includes all exploration activities and the transitioning of Detour Lake to reduced operations.
Other measures include medical screening for all people arriving at site, increased site and camp hygiene, as well as medical care.
The miner also introduced mandatory social distancing by staggering start and finish times to minimize the gathering of people. In lunchrooms and meeting areas, chairs are being spaced out and work teams had been reduced in size.
Kirkland further said it offered job protection for workers in quarantine or self-isolation, owing to Covid-19, or those needing to miss work to care for children during school closures.