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Health and Safety
Red Back's management is committed to ensuring the protection of our employees and contractors from risks to their health and safety, and of the community at large from risks to the environment. We establish and maintain rigorous standards across the company-both for surface and underground operations - to meet this commitment.
Each of our operations has safety committees and conduct regular safety meet¬ings that fit the needs and requirements of each individual site. Joint representa¬tion of managers, supervisors and workers on our safety committees ensures that we hold each other accountable for superior safety and health practices and to provide the leadership and resources needed to achieve our vision. Regular audits at our operations help ensure that safety and occupational health hazards have been identified and that effective safety and health management controls are in place.
Occupational Injuries
Red Back's occupational health and safety performance showed significant reductions in LTIFR and MITFR in 2009 at both operating sites. Regrettably, 2009 was not without incident. There was an unfortu-nate and tragic fatality involving one of our contractors at Chirano. Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family and friends of the deceased. A thorough investigation was conducted at the time of the incident, and both immediate and permanent actions were taken to ensure such an incident does not recur.
Health And Wellness
At Red Back, we strive to protect the health and well-being of employees by protecting them from workplace hazards and by reinforcing the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle. This helps improve employee morale, increase productivity and reduce health care expenses.
Employee health and wellness includes the prevention of occupational health problems and the protection from health threats - particularly HIV/AIDS, tu¬berculosis and malaria in countries where we operate and these ailments pose a high risk. Where local medical facilities are not adequate or are not available, we build on-site medical facilities or support mobile health clinics. We also keep abreast of emerging health and well-being issues to protect the safety and welfare of our people.
In many African countries, malaria is one of the leading causes of community illness and death, especially in young children and pregnant women. Chirano is located in an area characterized by the deadliest and devastating form of ma¬laria parasite. In consultation with the district assemblies and health administration, Red Back partnered with Vec¬tor Control Consultants and initiated a multi-year malaria abatement and con¬trol program. Launched in 2008 with a Mosquito Abatement Project (MAP), the program has evolved to an evidence-based integrated malaria control program which include 13 beneficiary communities.
Red Back is additionally exploring ways to help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and to mitigate the disease's impact on our workforce, dependants and the communities. Red Back supports programs aimed at assisting the workforce members, their families, and or community members regarding serious diseases.
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