Mining and Minerals Today July 2023 | Page 18

terrain . From the Arizona desert in the US , to the coal mines of Zimbabwe , RMI provides specialist support to develop and deliver bespoke health and medical services , from risk assessments to permanent on-site medical teams , to hazardous client work sites across the globe .
Minimizing risk before and during projects
The remoteness and demanding nature of the mining industry requires workers to be in good physical condition to handle the work and avoid costly delays to the project should they become ill on-site . RMI can coordinate occupational health screening to reduce the administrative demands on an organization by ensuring that each worker has obtained medical clearance prior to working on-site – from physical exams and health history assessments to drug and alcohol testing .
Medical teams are integral to the wellbeing and safeguarding of the workforce once the project has begun , and as a result , they are highly valued members of the workforce . This ensures that workers know exactly who to turn to when medical or rapid emergency care is required on-site .
Medical support is much more than a medic with a first aid kit . For example , many of RMI ’ s on-site medics play a vital role in reinforcing healthy lifestyle among workers and ensuring early intervention through providing education and training . Smoking cessation advice , tailored health awareness campaigns , first aid , and CPR training , are just some of the support services that work to improve the day-to-day awareness of health and safety practices among the workforce , reduce the risk of injuries and illness , and ensure that people feel valued at work .
Mobile and on the spot support
RMI ’ s medical facilities , which can be temporarily or permanently integrated into a site , or operate in mobile structures , offer flexible care for a wide range of injuries and
illnesses . This all helps to limit the number of cases that require referral to further off-site medical clinics , saving time and resources , as well as increasing efficiency by enabling staff to return to work as soon as possible .
In the event of an emergency , medical providers need to also ensure that suitable transport routes are available for emergency vehicles to both quickly access and evacuate workers , wherever they may be located on-site . This is where Mobile Treatment Centers ( MTC ), deployed by RMI at various mining worksites , become invaluable . These four-wheel drive clinics offer a mobile , on-site solution , allowing medical staff to provide treatment in the types of remote environments standard emergency vehicles are unable to reach . In addition to a treatment area , storage , and hand washing facilities , each MTC is equipped with first aid supplies and emergency response equipment , meaning that our medics are well prepared to respond to any type of medical emergency . Even with tailored medical solutions such as these , sometimes medical providers cannot access injured employees on-site quickly , especially where mining sites are so large . RMI has worked on large worksites where mining employees need access to additional services , like telemedicine , to treat injuries quickly . This enables nearby employees to call around-the-clock medical provision to receive advice in real-time .
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