Since mines are often in remote or hard-to-access places, challenges can arise when miners are injured or ill. Local emergency services may take some time to arrive at the mining site. Even if they come in a timely manner, their vehicles may not be capable of accessing the injured employee’s location.
Having on-site medical care tailored to the mine’s needs can help medical care reach miners faster, leading to better health outcomes for the injured.
Quick Response TimeÂ
Some types of injuries can’t wait thirty minutes for emergency services to arrive.
For example, Remote Medical International (RMI) dealt with a case where a mining employee had a cardiac event at the mining site. Because RMI had advanced medical providers stationed nearby, they accessed and stabilized the employee until local emergency services made it to the remote location.
In a case like this, immediate access to advanced medical care can mean the difference between life and death.
Tailored Solutions for Areas with Difficult Access
Many local emergency services don’t have ambulances capable of covering all terrains. Therefore, it may be challenging to reach injured workers. A tailored solution on-site won’t have this problem.
For a mining client, RMI procured a custom patient-transport vehicle for a client that had very narrow and high roadways. This vehicle was narrow enough that it could negotiate these roadways more quickly than a typical ambulance. RMI medical providers could help injured miners much faster with this custom solution.
Additional Services to Cover all the Possibilities
Despite developing tailored medical solutions with custom vehicles and on-site medical providers, sometimes medical providers cannot access injured employees on-site quickly. Instead, mining employees need access to additional services, like telemedicine, to treat injuries quickly.
For instance, in another construction industry, RMI medical providers responded to an employee that was struck by lightning. Despite having an appropriate vehicle and being on the site, the advanced medical providers couldn’t reach the injured employee immediately because the site was so large.
Instead, one of the mining employees on-site called the medical providers to get advice on the spot.
Because RMI’s medical providers had built a relationship with the workers, someone immediately knew who to contact and how. Having comprehensive services at the construction location gives employees access to medical care even when the medical providers are miles away.
Developing an On-Site Medical Service at a Mine
Although the benefits of medical care are similar across mines, each one has unique needs. The best medical solution for each mine depends on various factors, including how close emergency services are, the quality of the roads, local medical regulations, and the type of work performed.
Mining companies can work with an expert medical provider to develop a medical solution that meets their unique needs and budget. A tailored medical solution can improve injured employees’ access to medical care and potentially even save lives.
