The Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) workforce in Australia is estimated at approximately 60,000 workers. The primary industry which employs FIFO staff is the resources sector, with most linked directly or indirectly to mining companies.
Although exact numbers are hard to locate due to the transient nature of the FIFO industry, it is estimated that males account for over 75% of the FIFO mining workforce.
FIFO Miners Health
Examining the physical and mental health challenges experienced by this growing FIFO mining workforce was the interest of researchers from Curtin University in Western Australia.
The study recruited 216 FIFO workers (66.2% male) in the Australian mining industry to complete this online survey. The mean age of participants was 39.9 years age.
Most participants were married (43%) or in co-habiting relationships (25.5%), with more than half having at least one child. Almost 60% had been working FIFO for 5-years or more.
Sleep Duration & Quality: When on-shift most workers reported shorter sleep duration compared to off-shift times. Over 40% reported poorer sleep quality when on-shift compared to off-shift.
Smoking and Alcohol Intake: Just over 1 in 4 (26.4%) were current smokers, with the average number of cigarettes per day similar to when on or off shift. This is over triple the average smoking rate of Australian smokers (8.3%).
The majority (86.1%) consumed alcohol, and more consumed alcohol at riskier health levels during off-shifts. Males consumed at slightly higher riskier levels than females surveyed. But both sexes, consumed alcohol at riskier levels compared to the general population.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Vegetable intake increased when off-shift than on-shift. Fruit intake was similar between on and off schedules.
Physical Activity and Body Mass Index (BMI): The average BMI of study participants was 28.4, with 71.4% classed as overweight or obese. Exercise activity was greater during on-shift days vs off-shift.
Physical Health and Psychological Distress: Most participants were classified as having good physical health status (91.2%).
High to very high psychological distress was reported by a third of people. Although the causes of psychological of psychological distress were not captured in this survey, similar research has examined the effects of loneliness and absence from families as causative reasons.
Expert Opinion: Max Loomes, Psychologist and Mental Health Researcher.
- FIFO work may be lucrative, but it takes us away from our family, friends, and base for extended periods.
- If you are finding yourself lonely, detached from emotions, or coping using substances, it might be important to consider whether this career is still the right thing for you.
- It might be worthwhile having therapists onsite to ensure that FIFO workers have somebody to talk to aside from their co-workers.
