BHP to start vaccinating workers on-site at Olympic Dam and considers barring the unvaccinated
SA’s first on-site vaccination program will begin at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine, while it considers making vaccination a condition of site entry nationwide.
BHP will soon start vaccinating workers on-site at the Olympic Dam mine in a first for South Australia, and is considering banning unvaccinated people from its worksites nationwide
The resources company will be the first business to conduct on-site vaccinations in SA, while Commonwealth Bank has already started to roll out a similar program in New South Wales.
BHP said it was working with SA Health on setting up a mobile vaccination clinic from early next month, as part of a suite of measures at its mine sites across Australia.
BHP president minerals Australia Edgar Basto said the company was putting in a range of programs to keep its workers safe.
“In line with the road map agreed by national cabinet, we recognise that the path forward is through widespread vaccination, and we are looking at a range of practical ways to help Australia safely reopen its borders and its economy while protecting communities and workforces,’’ Mr Basto said.
“Getting more Australians vaccinated more quickly will help protect communities and enable a safe return to more normal ways of working across all sectors and regions – benefiting small and large businesses alike.
“Our experience in our Chilean operations, where workplace and community vaccination hubs have helped get local vaccination rates to nearly 90 per cent, show it can be done well.”
Mr Basto said the science was clear that widespread vaccination saves lives, and the company was encouraging its staff to get vaccinated.
“As a necessary control to protect the health and safety of our people and the communities where we operate, we are actively assessing vaccination as a condition of entry to our Australian sites and offices,’’ he said.
“We have an obligation to ensure our people are safe when they are at work, and to support the health of the regional communities where we operate.
“We respect individual choice and we will engage closely with our people as we move forward with this work.”
BHP expects to complete its technical assessment in September, with a policy likely to come into effect in early 2022, once people have had a reasonable opportunity to be fully vaccinated.
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