In less than a year, a staggering five members of the 100-strong staff suffered serious heart-related conditions and three tragically died. Age, lifestyle and stress have been major contributors according to Health, Safety and Environmental Manager Geoff Knight.
“The current boom has put pressure on the industry to find enough skilled people and we have brought a lot of experienced, older professionals and retirees back to work,” he said. “Consequently, many of our engineers and technical people are well over sixty. For many years they have worked long, stressful hours in sedentary jobs and their lifestyle has taken its toll.”
“A lot of people have also been imported from the eastern states and overseas. Far from home, they often stay in hotels and have little better to do than work 7 days a week. Others are contractors and paid by the hour so they have an incentive to work long and hard.”
Aker Kvaerner has developed an innovative programme to help combat the problem which incorporates displays, sports massage sessions and bowls of fresh fruit in the office. For the first time, employees are required to undergo pre-employment medicals and to get written authorisation to work more than 50 hours a week in the office.
The engineering team is designing new facilities at the Tom Price and Marandoo mines with construction expected to commence shortly.
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