Pilbara Health

Home is the south-west beach resort of Dunsborough, where his wife and three young daughters have settled into a fly-in, fly-out routine that revolves around his roster of two weeks on and one week off.

While missing important occasions such as birthdays and school events can be difficult, the fly-in, fly-out lifestyle does have its advantages.

“The first year or so was certainly the most difficult," he said. "It can be hard to leave after spending a wonderful week at home. But you eventually get used to it.”

“One of the advantages of having seven days off is that is allows you to catch up on all your chores and still leaves you time to do fun stuff, like taking a short holiday. That’s something nine-to- fivers don’t usually get to do on weekends – there just isn’t time.”

“You also have the opportunity to really get to know your co-workers. Spending so much time together at work, on the job, and during your hours off, means you build close friendships and have a laugh.”

In the past, broken relationships, poor health and high stress levels have been prevalent in Australia's fly-in, fly-out mining culture.

Long shifts, often around the clock, mean that miners are frequently working ‘out of sync’ with their normal body rhythms, resulting in sleep disorders, stomach ailments, heart disease and mental health problems. High incomes and long hours can lead to alcohol and drug abuse while separation causes stress on relationships and family.

The situation has been compounded by traditional Aussie machismo that expects men to “tough it out” without complaining or asking for help.

One of the things that helped Jim's family adjust to the demands of their lifestyle was the Rio Tinto Employee Assistance Program which is a confidential, free advisory service for all staff and their families. To contact the service, call (08) 9446 0888 or 1800 674 188 in the regions.