Social
Occupational Health and Safety
Nothing is more important to Buru that the health and safety of our employees, contractors and those connected with our operations.
2022 Highlights:
- Zero lost time injuries (LTIs)
- 858 days since last LTI
Buru recognises that its continued success is dependent upon the support of its workers and the community in which it operates. The Kimberley is defined as the local community for the purposes of this report, as this remains Buru’s most significant location of operations. Buru strives to attract and retain the best people, including both contractors and employees, and create a culture that ensures their health, safety and wellbeing.
OH&S Management System
Buru is committed to protecting the health and safety of all personnel as well as the environment, cultural heritage and communities in the vicinity of all its activities. Buru’s HSE goal is Zero Harm, which in the OH&S realm means no injuries or illness to staff or community as a result of our operations.
In order to communicate, implement and achieve these commitments, Buru implements a Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS), which sits within the Buru Energy Management System (BEMS) (Figure 13). All workers, activities and workplaces are covered by the HSEMS, including contractors at operational sites. The HSEMS, is based on recognised risk management, and also satisfies legal requirements. It has previously been externally audited by a HSE consultant and DMIRS to ensure compliance with these regulatory requirements, and multiple aspects of it are internally audited on an annual basis to monitor compliance of the Company’s operations, and to monitor, drive and communicate HSE performance against Objectives and Targets (O&Ts).
A Buru Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Committee, including management and worker members, continued to meet quarterly during the reporting period to discuss HSE performance, emerging issues or risks, HSE initiatives and any other HSE related business. Representation in this committee from all key departments, including office and site representatives, enables comprehensive worker participation and consultation in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the HSEMS, and provides access to and communication of relevant information on occupational health and safety to workers.
OH&S Training and Contractor Management
In order to enable all workers to undertake tasks safely and in a manner that meets the Company’s standards, all operational personnel are required to undergo training and inductions before commencing work, in accordance with the Buru Training and Induction Procedure. This training also ensures that site-specific health, safety, environment and community risks and their controls, and emergency procedures, are understood and implemented proficiently.
As many contractors are relied on to assist in completing operational field work, several additional processes are in place to ensure all contractors are complying with the Buru HSEMS . This includes the HSE Contractor Management Procedure, which describes the process for the assessment and review of contractors from a HSE perspective, to ensure continual alignment with the Buru HSEMS and development of a contractor HSE management plan or bridging document if required.
Hazard Identification
Hazard identification, risk assessment and incident investigation processes are in place in order to eliminate health and safety hazards where possible and minimise all risks. Processes include worker application of the hierarchy of controls (Figure 3), and investigation of incidents to determine corrective actions and improvements needed. Other risk management techniques outlined in Buru policies and standards include HAZIDs, HAZOPs, Environmental Risk Assessments, Job Hazard Analysis (JHAs) and Take 5s. These are applied across the business to all Buru employees or contractors participating in operations.
2022 OH&S Performance
This period, Buru continued to strive for its goal of Zero Harm through the implementation of the HSEMS.
During the 2022 reporting period, there were six recordable work-related injuries amongst both employees and contractors of Buru (Table 8), resulting in failure to achieve the set goal of Zero Harm. However, there were no lost time injuries recorded across operations and, with over 110,000 hours worked, this result overall is seen as a significant achievement. Buru continues to strive for the goal of Zero Harm, regularly reviewing performance against these health and safety objectives and incident investigations, as outlined in the preceding HSEMS section.
Health Management
Health hazards are those that may impact a person’s health, and generally result in a delayed or chronic impact. These differ from safety hazards which generally have immediate impact on a person’s wellbeing (e.g. injury). Given this characteristic, health hazards require special focus to ensure they are controlled, as they may not be as apparent to personnel as safety hazards. In order to do this, Buru has in place a Health Management Standard, which ensures that health hazards are identified, assessed and managed to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of all Buru employees and contractors. The Health Management Standard is based on a Health Risk Assessment, which considers potential exposure to health hazards including psychological, social and physical risks to a person’s health.
This reporting period, Buru continued to promote workers health through providing workers access to a gym, functional equipment and a 24/7 helpline for mental health services. In addition to this, in 2022, a psychosocial hazards review was undertaken, including a staff survey, risk assessment and development of actions. The review allowed for confidential feedback of workplace psychosocial hazards from staff, which contributed to the risk assessment and action development. Identification of psychosocial hazards is crucial to ensuring the health and well-being of Buru workers is not being compromised, and workers are able to complete tasks in a physically and mentally healthy workplace.
A key focus of health management during the reporting period was management of risks associated with COVID-19. In early 2022, Western Australia opened its borders after largely being closed off to other states and countries since the pandemic began. Buru’s COVID Management Plan effectively managed the risks presented, with no spread of COVID occurring at Buru’s operational sites.
2023 Goals:
- Achieve Zero Harm by preventing all occupational injuries and illnesses associated with our activities
- Repeat psychosocial hazards review process to ensure ongoing monitoring
and management of these risks
Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity
Buru recognises the benefits that having a diverse workforce – comprised of people with different experiences, skills, genders, ages, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds – can bring to its business.
2022 Highlights:
- Zero reported incidents of discrimination
- Aboriginal Engagement, Procurement & Employment Standard Implemented
- Aboriginal Employment target at Ungani met
- Over 65 hours of training per employee on average
Managing Diversity
Buru is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse range of talented people to work in all levels of our business, from entry level positions to Board members. Promoting diversity and providing an inclusive culture at all levels of Buru’s business is likely to support employee retention and to create a workplace environment where all of the Company’s people feel safe to be who they are and perform at their best.
The Company’s Diversity Policy helps to manage this topic and monitor commitments addressing gender/sexual identity, age, sexual preference, ethnicity and cultural diversity. The Board retains oversight and control of this policy but delegates the responsibility of managing the policy to the Renumeration and Nomination Committee. Measurable diversity objectives set by the committee are reported each year in the Corporate Governance Statement. Buru’s Code of Conduct aims to prevent diversity discrimination through a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, harassment or discrimination. All managers are required to understand and apply the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity, and all employees are encouraged to report any discriminatory behaviour that they observe either directly or under the Company’s Whistleblower Policy.
0 incidents of discrimination
Buru is pleased to confirm zero incidents of discrimination were reported during the 2022 reporting period.