The corporate colossus is trialling on-the-job jabs and is seriously considering making them compulsory for its workforce.
BHP has become the first resources company to begin trialling workplace-based Covid-19 vaccinations and is seriously considering mandating jabs among workers.
The mining giant said the trial would begin this week at the Mt Arthur coal mine near Muswellbrook in NSW’s Upper Hunter region.
Given the ongoing outbreak in NSW, BHP has also deployed rapid antigen testing for the Mt Arthur workforce to help prevent cases on-site, with more than 5000 tests administered so far.
BHP is also funding a new vaccine hub at Moranbah, which opened to the Central Queensland community on Monday, and is working with the South Australian health department to establish a mobile clinic at Olympic Dam to help bolster vaccination rates in the Roxby Downs region.
The company is also working with the West Australian health department to assist with vaccine rollouts in the Pilbara region, where it has its flagship cash-cow iron ore operations, but where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the state.
“We are determined to play our part,” BHP Minerals Australia president Edgar 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, shows it can be done well.”
BHP said it was actively assessing vaccination as a condition of workplace entry, following on from SPC and Qantas making jabs mandatory for its staff.
“The science is clear that widespread vaccination saves lives … and we will look for further opportunities to increase access and uptake of vaccinations,” Mr Basto said.
The WA government’s six-week “pop-up” Perth Airport vaccination clinic trial with Rio Tinto is due to start next month and is expected to provide 1000 doses a week initially.
The trial will be expanded to mining locations in the Pilbara for both workers and community members.
Originally published as BHP considers making Covid vaccines compulsory for workers, now trialling workplace jabs
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