Key challenges

Nurse Edith Milham tests Mount Isa employee Andrew Newman's hearing

The key occupational health risks associated with our operations are:

• noise induced hearing loss in both our mining and metals operations;
• respiratory illnesses, in particular those associated with the production of ferrochrome and vanadium and the underground mining of coal;
• musculoskeletal injuries, typically manual handling injuries. This type of injury is an elevated risk at our Australian operations, where the average age of our workforce is more advanced than in other regions;
• heat stress is a key risk for employees and contractors working in Australia (especially north Queensland); and
• wellbeing, including healthy weight management and lifestyle.

In line with our Health and Occupational Hygiene Standard, all operations have occupational health assessment and surveillance, and occupational health and hygiene programmes. Several divisions or sites operating in similar regions, with similar health challenges, have developed integrated health management systems. All Xstrata Copper and Xstrata Zinc operations in north Queensland use a single health management system and integrated divisional health strategies were put in place during 2005 at Xstrata Coal's New South Wales and South Africa divisions.