FAREWELLING HER HUSBAND
as he
embarks on a critical role as a fly-in, fly-out
(FIFO) emergency management professional
with a major Pilbara mining operator is
something Dani Tamati is used to.
After eight days hard at work she will
welcome him home for a six-day break,
where he can resume his hands-on role in
raising their four children.
The lifestyle is not without its challenges,
but for the Tamati family, it works.
“It took about six months for our family
to get used to the FIFO lifestyle, but now
we prefer it,” Tamati says.
“When my husband comes home for his
break, it allows us to really connect. He
also does the school drop-offs and pick-
ups and the kids get to spend quality time
with their dad.
“Of course you also miss out on things,
but if you plan ahead for family events, it
puts you in a better place mentally.”
Tamati can relate to her husband’s
working lifestyle because she too once
worked onsite, embarking on a FIFO
roster of 13 weeks on and three weeks off
in the resources hospitality sector more
than two decades ago.
After meeting her husband and starting
a family, they resided in the Pilbara for
14 years before relocating to Perth in
2010. Tamati now runs recruitment firm
The Resources Hub and says the time
employees are expected to work away has
dramatically reduced.
“In general, the longest rosters my
candidates are employed on are four to
six weeks away,” she says.
Well aware of the current debate around
FIFO, she believes there are advantages
in resource employers opening a greater
dialogue with families.
“Because of my personal FIFO
experience, I know where my husband
goes when he leaves for work. Our
children also have an understanding
from having lived in a mining
community,” she explains.
FIFO IN
focus
With a FIFO mental health inquiry underway,
Resource People
looks at
the mounting focus on wellbeing support for workers and families alike.
“But there are a lot of partners and
families that don’t have that insight, so
I think resource companies introducing
the family to what site life is all about is a
great initiative.”
In August this year, the West Australian
Government announced a parliamentary
inquiry to examine mental health among
FIFO workers, following some deaths of
FIFO employees over the past 12 months.
At the time, chair of the WA
Parliament’s Education and Health
Standing Committee Liberal MP Graham
Jacobs indicated the inquiry would take
a holistic view, looking at initiatives of
government, industry and the wider
community, as well as the ‘responsibilities
of employees and employers’.
During this period, a number of trade
unions have stepped up campaigns for
shorter FIFO rosters across a range of
new enterprise bargaining agreements for
major projects.
The final report, including findings of
any correlation between different rosters
and mental health, won’t be handed down
until March 2015. However, the industry
is already approaching the review as
an opportunity to improve on existing
employee wellness programs.
FAMILY BUSINESS
Nicole Ashby has certainly received
growing interest from resource employers
in the support services of her company
FIFO Families.
Launched in 2010 as a networking and
support group for resource industry families,
FIFO Families has since expanded to
deliver education programs and seminars to
organisations and residential communities.
“We talk about how to successfully
navigate a FIFO life, including
everything from how to communicate
effectively with your loved ones to
FIFO Families founder and
director Nicole Ashby
The Tamati family with
some impressive mining
equipment in the Pilbara
OHS & WELLBEING
16
SUMMER 2014-15 RESOURCE
PEOPLE
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