OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Westgold Resources Limited [Westgold or the Company] wishes to provide an update as to the impact of COVID19 on its operations due to the increasing case numbers across Western Australia.
The December Quarterly report [ASX - 27 January 2022] detailed the growing impacts that COVID-19 was having
on staff numbers and operating costs. During the March Quarter [Q3, FY22] the Company has seen many of
these factors intensify with an increase of positive COVID-19 cases within our workforce. There is a multiplier
effect due to the necessary quarantine of non-positive close contacts and this requirement has significantly
depleted shift attendance across some operating sites and has affected production.
Chief Executive Officer, Debbie Fullarton commented:
“COVID-19 cases continue to increase across Western Australia and we are experiencing a similar
trend across our operating sites.
We however continue to proactively manage the situation as the health of our workforce and the
communities we work within is paramount. All our mines remain operational, but production is
expected to be affected this quarter due to availability of front-line operating staff.
The Westgold workforce is resilient and though stretched, will continue to manage the ongoing
challenges imposed directly or indirectly by COVID-19.”
Prior to the state borders opening, Westgold extended its COVID-19 Management System to include RAT testing
of all personnel prior to departure from Perth to our regional sites and established PCR testing capability within
our operations. Additional site-based protocols such as specialist cleaning, catering restrictions and strict
recreation controls were also implemented. Isolating COVID-19 from our Murchison and Bryah communities has
been a priority for the Company with non-essential site travel curtailed and head office staff encouraged to work
from home.
Despite these controls, and in accordance with WA Government guidelines, we have recently been impacted by
new cases of COVID-19 across all sites resulting in the necessity for an increasing number of personnel requiring
isolation for 7 days within our camps. As a result, since late February the operations have lost approximately
3,860 hours related to positive test results and or precautionary isolation requirements– with most of this lost
time attributed to the past 3 weeks.
The 3,860 hours represents 320 shifts lost of front-line operational workers within a period of approximately 30
days. Resultantly, we anticipate an impact on overall production this quarter of ≈3% to 4%.
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( DYOR )
i hold WGX ( courtesy of the MLX demerger ) but did add a parcel in June 2021 ( @ $1.90 )
i get a bad smell here ( and i LOVE blue-vein cheese )
please be careful