Orano Canada has ensured that production can safely continue while multiple employees isolate due to a recent positive COVID-19 test on site. (copyright/website Denison Mines)

By Trevor Redden

Further Isolation

Multiple people isolating on site at McClean Lake

Sep 23, 2020 | 12:57 PM

More contacts are now being isolated as a precaution after an employee at the McClean Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan tested positive for COVID-19.

So far, there remains just one positive case at the location, and that employee has been isolated.

“We’re taking the direction of the Population Health Unit on who needs to be isolated, so as their work continues with interviews and contact tracing there have been more precautionary isolations,” Orano Canada representative Carey Hyndman said in an email to paNOW.

In Monday’s press release, the company explained three close contacts have been identified and are isolating at the site. Hyndman clarified some people from the flight have been added to the list of those needing to isolate, and further testing on site is being done as required by health authorities.

Despite the growing number of isolated employees, operations have not been impacted. The mill continues to operate safely while each individual is routinely isolated for 14 days from the date of exposure, as per Population Health.

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The mill has already been impacted by COVID-19 this year, as production was suspended on March 23 in response to growing concern over the pandemic. At that point the operation was put into care and maintenance until an announcement was made on July 29 that the mill would restart in the fall. The facility is now back in production, and currently ramping up.

A return to operation has been done carefully, with significantly heightened measures in place.

“The approach taken on our flight (that brings workers to the site) is very, very conservative due to the nature of our work and communities, and far more conservative than that for commercial flights,” Hyndman explained.

In an effort to protect employees and those who live in northern communities, anyone coming to site or leaving is required to have a temperature check and respond to a questionnaire on their health, contact with possible cases and any travel. No individuals are allowed to leave site until they are cleared.

According to the company website, the McClean Lake site operates on a week-in/week-out rotation schedule for workers, over 50 per cent of whom reside in northern Saskatchewan communities.

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trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden