How does FIFO impact your health?

On The Record’s Jeff Bullen spoke to Dr Ian Dunican about the new study conducted at Edith Cowan University looks at the health impacts of fly-in fly-out rosters on resources workers. Dr Ian Dunican talks about the research and how it found that long hours, limited down time and shift work resulted in FIFO workers struggling to get adequate sleep during their swings away.

Around 60% of FIFO workers are at risk of developing sleep loss or disorders, the research shows alertness levels decline significantly over the course of a work schedule increasing safety risks both on the job and when returning home.

This study is the key to start the conversation and begin to shift thinking by both the mining companies but also individual miners when it comes to rosters, strategies around fly-in and fly-out day, changes to start time and breaks while not impacting productivity, implementing a sleep disorder screening program and self monitoring systems.