Colliery due to reopen today following cluster of Covid cases

THE Vale of Neath’s Aberpergwm Colliery, which closed temporarily following a cluster of coronavirus cases among its workforce, is due to resume mining today.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s contact tracing service, working alongside Public Health Wales, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Swansea Bay University Health Board agreed the voluntary closure with mine operators Energybuild Ltd on Friday, October 2.

But, after detailed inspections of the mine and a review of its working practices and existing coronavirus mitigation measures in place there by the HSE, a series of further multi-agency agreed virus control measures have now been put in place.

A security team will be at the drift mine to ensure the full list of measures are implemented correctly and workers returning to their jobs will be “walked through” the procedures.

Cllr Leanne Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council cabinet member for community safety and public protection, said: “The mining company has fully co-operated with investigations and the council and partner agencies have been advising the management team as they develop the plans which will be required to safely reopen the mine.”

Swansea Bay University Health Board’s director of public health, Dr Keith Reid, added: “I am glad the mine is able to reopen with appropriate safeguards in place. It’s an important reminder that in all workplaces we need to minimise risk of transmission and that workers who have symptoms, no matter how minor, need to self-isolate and seek testing.”