Our Approach to Health and Safety
Our Approach to Health and Safety
NOVAGOLD’s health and safety approach is guided by the vision of achieving zero harm, aspiring for an injury- and fatality-free workplace. To realize this vision, we diligently:
- Comply with relevant health and safety laws and regulations1.
- Implement effective health and safety management systems.
- Proactively identify and mitigate health and safety hazards to ensure every member of our workforce returns home safely after each shift.
- Investigate all near misses and safety incidents, sharing valuable learnings across all sites.
- Continuously monitor and assess safety practices and performance at each location, identifying areas for improvement.
NOVAGOLD’s Occupational Health and Safety Management program follows our Corporate Health and Safety policy, with oversight from the Board and Sustainability Committee. Leading this effort is the Vice President of Health, Safety, and Environment.
At Donlin Gold, the safety program integrates corporate policies from both partners, a formal health and safety plan, standard procedures, and management software. All employees and contractors are covered under this system, which undergoes audits every two years to ensure effectiveness and improvement. Site operations comply with OSHA regulations.
Safety governance includes monthly reviews led by the General Manager and safety teams to assess incidents and corrective actions. Weekly safety meetings, attended by senior management, reinforce procedures, while daily supervisor briefings ensure on-site awareness. Serious incidents are escalated, and employees unable to attend meetings receive updates through reports and virtual sessions.