As part of their efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 resources companies are taking the health and safety of their workers to another level.

West Australian miner Mineral Resources has set up a sophisticated drive-through testing centre close to Perth Airport.

All their FIFO workers are required to take a test before departing to a remote work site. For the time between screening and prior to the employee mobilising to site, the employee is asked to continue to follow all guidelines that have been implemented by the Government by staying at home until departure.

If there is a positive result, the employee will not mobilise to site and their details will be provided to the Department of Health who will take over case management. They will be provided a mask and asked to present to a government clinic.

Mineral Resources have also opened up their screening process to other resource companies to ensure the COVID-19 pandemic does not force the closure of Western Australia’s resources sector, which employs tens of thousands of men and women and is the economic lifeblood of the State

The Mineral Resources screening regime will also form part of a dedicated research programme with Curtin University’s Faculty of Health Sciences to study the incidence of asymptomatic infection within the FIFO worker population of Western Australia

The data collected through this research study will be invaluable to the Government and its public health officials responsible for managing the response to this crisis and beyond.