This life of mine: personal reflections on the well-being of the contracted FIFO workforce

With staff productivity and retention a crucial factor in the longevity of Australia’s mining industry, some mining companies are increasing their focus on the health and well-being of their people, to minimise the risks of deteriorating health in an ageing workforce. Many of Australia’s mining operations rely heavily on long distance commuter (LDC) rosters, which are argued to have a significant impact upon worker health, wellbeing and lifestyle choices. The potential impact of workforce health on mine safety performance, efficiency and operating practice is an interesting additional line of enquiry. Food choice, exercise and recreation initiatives offer living and working conditions that ‘empower healthy choices’ in the shift worker community, but do not guarantee improved worker wellbeing. This paper explores first-hand the experiences of one individual over two and a half years of employment at different mine sites, under different shift conditions and across different operating crews. Novel insights and recommendations concerning the LDC lifestyle are offered through integrating reflections on one individual’s fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) experiences in open pit mining operations from personal, family, professional and academic perspectives.