After starting the project in 2020, major miner BHP has completed its safety improvement project at its Pilbara villages.
The $300 million investment saw over 10,000 rooms upgraded across the company’s 13 Western Australian Iron Ore (WAIO) villages. The project included over 10,000 new doors, 8000 lights, 1500 CCTV cameras and over 4km of fencing installed.
“The work was delivered using 100 per cent Australian manufacturers and local contractors, including many Traditional Owner businesses,” WA Iron Ore NPI (non-process infrastructure) general manager Kate Holling said.
“Safety continues to be our number one priority and I’m happy to see this work complete to make our villages feel safer and more accessible for everyone who visits them.”
Stage one of the Village Security project was worth $100 million to BHP over a 24 month period to mid-2023. The overall project is worth $300 million.
Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (SCEE) Group was one of the companies chosen to complete the works and managing director Graeme Dunn said the contract asked a significant amount of the group and the scope of works really showed what the company was capable of.
“This project is a great example of the breadth of offering the group now presents to clients following our diversification strategy of recent years,” Dunn said in 2021.
It is hoped that the work will improve both safety and accessibility for residents and guests at the Pilbara villages.