[ferro-alloys.com]Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) is introducing new measures at its Pilbara operations in Western Australia to combat the coronavirus, including redesigned rosters, social distancing and airport health checks, the company announced on Monday.

The world’s second-largest miner said its iron ore operations in the Pilbara continue to combat the spread and impacts of covid-19 by introducing more measures to help protect employees and the community while keeping operations running safely.

Last week, 1,200-plus Rio Tinto employees at the Yandicoogina and Greater Brockman sites started their new two weeks on, two weeks off rosters, which have been redesigned to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

The company has secured additional charter flights with Qantas and Virgin Australia to and from the Pilbara sites, enabling appropriate social distancing between staff members on planes.

Rio is also enforcing employee screening and temperature checks prior to staff boarding flights and reduced passenger capacity on buses, with every second seat tagged out as unavailable, as well as social distancing in village dining rooms and an increased cleaning schedule.

The recent Western Australian border closure has also led to changes to Rio Tinto’s national fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers.

The company has relocated more than 700 employees with specialist skills to Perth from interstate or overseas.

(Mining.com)

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