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Remote Site Camps - 10 Things to Bear in Mind
1. Remote Site Camps – 10 Things to Bear in Mind
Remote Site Camps – 10 Things to Bear in Mind
1. Medical Services
It seems obvious to say it, but the very nature of a remote site means that your colleagues will most
likely be far from the nearest hospital if they become ill or are unfortunate enough to have an accident
on-site. The single most important part of managing a remote site camp is that all of the workers based
there are in good health. In an emergency situation, it is always said that providing the right care and
treatment within the first hour will ultimately have a big effect on the ultimate outcome. Providing
employees with regular access to doctors and health professionals is a necessity for remote sites and all
staff should have a comprehensive understanding of first aid/life saving techniques.
2. Camp Construction
Remote site camps need to be flexible in their construction, quick and
easy to construct, provide comfort and infrastructure for workers and
possibly be temporary structures. Turn key camps can be transported
to the site relatively easily and are easy to build, making them a
popular choice for many remote site camps. Below is a list of things
you should take into account when designing a mining camp
construction or any other remote site camp:
- Type of terrain
- Climate
- Cost
- Time to construct
- Function of each building
- Temporary or permanent structures
- Building regulations of the local authorities
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2. Remote Site Camps – 10 Things to Bear in Mind
3. Guesthouse Construction
It is necessary to think about who will be based in the camp and who
will visit the camp for more temporary stays. Clients, local officials, top
management (eg, CEO) and other stakeholders may need to stay at the
camp for a short period from time to time. Aside from the workers who
will be based at the site on a long-term basis, guesthouses may need to
be built to provide extra accommodation for these other visitors. The
quality of accommodation should also reflect the type of visitors that
will or may visit.
4. Catering / Food service
Providing employees with catering facilities is a must, but enabling them to have a selection of healthy,
freshly prepared meals is what all companies should be aiming to do. Depending on the type of remote
site, you may well also want to provide more informal dining options such as a café/coffee shop. The
supplier that you use to provide the food service should be serious about food hygiene as illness related
to poor quality or uncooked food, could lead to a major problem in a remote location.
5. Security
Depending on your industry, the level of security needed will differ greatly, however most remote sites
are linked to mining and construction projects which often represent very large investments by
governments and corporations alike (eg, gold or diamond mine site security). Protecting your employees
and assets from harm is vital, particularly even more so in conflict
zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. There are a number of options
available such as security guards (manned guarding), remote
surveillance/CCTV, security systems but your overall security
strategy should include a mixture of everything.
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3. Remote Site Camps – 10 Things to Bear in Mind
6. Maintenance
Plumbers, heating engineers and mechanics are difficult to find in the most remote of locations. By
having a small team of maintenance workers located on the site or available on-call, ensures that the
day-to-day running of the camp will be as smooth as
possible; good for the morale of employees and good for
profitability.
7. Cleaning
Having a clean, presentable working environment is important for most people and this is the same for
those working in remote sites. Understandably, in remote sites it is often more difficult to keep a
workspace clean than in other locations however it is needed from a practical, hygiene and employee
morale standpoint.
8. Logistics
Transportation to remote locations is often a very difficult process. Working with
a partner who can provide a logistics service and consultancy is a good idea as
logistics is an area which needs to be planned in detail, often months in advance.
Again, depending on the items being delivered and how volatile the location is,
security should also be a major priority.
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4. Remote Site Camps – 10 Things to Bear in Mind
9. Procurement
Whether procuring from abroad or locally from within your country of operations, it is important to
balance cost and quality. Companies which specialize in remote site management and who have a global
reach can be indispensible partners for assisting you with both local and foreign procurement as they
will most likely know where to source from.
10. Corporate Social Responsibility
Remote sites are generally located in areas where the local
people are considered poor by the standards of developed
nations. Also, your operations could potentially effect the
local environment and ecosystem. By creating a Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, it ensures that your
company will be giving something back to the local
community and ensure that the effect on the local
environment is kept to a minimum.
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