Barrick Hemlo Continues to Actively Monitor Covid-19

As the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues its global onslaught, the health and safety of our employees, communities and contractors are our utmost priority. We want to share with you the steps the Barrick Hemlo mine is taking to address this responsibly and to limit potential exposure to the rapidly changing situation in collaboration with community stakeholders and local health units.

Hemlo continues to actively monitor the Covid-19 situation and is taking action to ensure we are equipped to respond appropriately. We know that our communities are concerned about the impact of Covid-19. We are monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis and following official safety and prevention guidance published by the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Canada, Government of Ontario, Local Health Regions and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Hemlo Senior Leadership Team regularly reviews our pandemic management plans, developing additional measures that support implementation of current best practices, provide routine updates to our employees to ensure that they, together with their families and our partnering communities, are well informed and safe.

At the Hemlo mine we are taking the following preventative measures to establish a safe operational environment:

Fact sheets about Covid-19 are posted around the site with information on how to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
All employees and contractors at our operation are encouraged to practice simple hygiene by washing hands regularly and covering coughs and sneezes. The mine has been equipped with additional sanitizing stations.
All workers and contractors are screened at security before entering the site. Screening protocols include travel declaration and temperature and health checks. Our facility has been inspected by local health authorities to ensure our activities are in line with health regulations and we have been advised that we are going above and beyond expected protocol during this pandemic.
Those who have returned home from international flights are mandated to self-isolate for 14 days.
We are adhering to the State of Emergency declared by the Ontario government, which includes the following:
- No gatherings of more than 50 people.
- Social distancing of two metres or more.
- Reduced cage limits to no more than six workers at a time.
- Increased cage runs to accommodate work schedules.
- Staggered shift implementation to reduce workers at security at any given time, reduced line up meetings, reduced general meetings, mandates on workers allowed in a meeting room at any given time to ensure social distancing can be achieved.
- Work-at-home options for non-essential staff.
Partnering with our First Nations Rightsholders communities to aid them in the lock down of their communities to ensure they are not vulnerable during this time by allowing workers to self-isolate for 14 days.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered all non-essential business to close beginning Tuesday 24th March. As an essential business to the community and the region, the Hemlo mine remains operational and it is therefore imperative that all employees and contractors adhere to the controls that have been implemented, to enable the Hemlo mine to continue to support local communities and employees during this time of need.

If the Covid-19 is causing stress for employees or family members, they are encouraged to contact our Employee Assistance Program, which gives them access to counseling and other mental health resources.

We encourage our workers to ensure they remain focused and on-task while performing work. As always, if distraction begins to hinder your ability to work safely, please use your Stop Work Authority. Please support the extensive measures taken by the company to safeguard our workplaces by taking responsibility for your own well-being.