PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto has announced that vaccinations against the Covid-19 pandemic would be a requirement for its entire Western Australian workforce, including those within offices and other facilities in Perth.

The announcement comes as the company opened its vaccination hub at the Perth Airport, enabling fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers in the mining industry to easily access Covid-19 vaccination when they touch down in Perth.

Rio and Western Australia’s Department of Health partnered to establish the new hub, which is specifically designed to be accessible for FIFO workers from the resources sector travelling through Perth Airport.

The hubs are part of Rio’s commitment to help boost vaccination rates across the state. Rio Tinto has made the facility available to vaccinate workers in the mining FIFO community, regardless of the company they work for.

The Perth Airport vaccination clinics will operate on weekdays from 10am to 8pm with appointment times aligned to flight arrival times. Bookings are essential to avoid delays. Walk-in opportunities are limited based on daily vaccine availability.

In September, Rio Tinto opened vaccination clinics in Tom Price and Paraburdoo and is working with the state government to establish similar clinics in Pannawonica, Cape Lambert and Dampier to assist with the vaccination rollout.

Rio Tinto iron-ore CEO Simon Trott urged all eligible FIFO workers from across the sector returning to Perth book an appointment as soon as possible.

“We encourage workers in our sector to take advantage of the Perth Airport clinics, which are open to all FIFO workers. We know how critically important it is to boost vaccination rates in Western Australia and are pleased to be able to welcome workers to the clinic.

“Following the Western Australian government’s announcement that vaccination will be mandatory for FIFO and other workers in Western Australia’s resources sector, it’s important that workers in the sector book an appointment as soon as possible, and the Perth Airport clinic makes the process easy.

“Rio Tinto is proud to work with the government to deliver these clinics and will continue to assist with boosting vaccination rates across Western Australia.”