Mental Health of Mine Rescue Workers in Western Australia

This literature review analyzes the mental health conditions of mine workers in Western Australia, with a focus on the availability of support for emergency response teams. The hazards associated with mining pose a serious threat to the physical and mental health of mine workers, including the risk of developing mental disorders such as PTSD and depression. The report highlights the need for strict policies to improve the working environment and protect the rights of employees.

Western Australian Mines Rescue:
Is there enough support for the
Emergency Response Teams
regarding mental health?

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Mining is the extraction of materials, minerals and other valuable materials from different
geological locations of the Earth. The hazards associated to mining are much more dangerous
than any other industry facility. Physical health hazards related to mining include the contraction
of several respiratory diseases such as respiratory complications and fatalities (Shubayr,
Alashban, Al-Shehri, & Almurayshid, 2021). Various hazards in the mining sector include:
accidents, mineral poisoning, exposure to high temperatures, humidity and toxic gases that acts
as a risk factor for the deterioration of mental health of mine workers (Sayers & et. al., 2019).
Mining in Australia is a primary sector of occupation as it contributes to the economy of
Australia. There are several risks associated with mining that pose a serious threat to mining
workers. This report highlights a framework for literature review analysis about Western
Australian mine rescue and the mental health of mine workers. The discussion also revolves
around the availability of enough support for emergency response teams regarding their mental
health.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Mine Rescue Western Australia, 2012 [Online] Available through
<https://www.amsj.com.au/mine-rescue-western-austalia/ >
The growth of Australian colonies was possible solely by the early source of income
obtained from mining activities. This particular literature review analysis will analyse the
conditions of miners in Western Australia. There are multiple hazards which mine workers are
prone to including explosions, collapsing of mines, electrical hazards etc. (Nunfam & et. al.,
2020). There is a possibility of potential collapse along with unstable debris which can cause
them mine workers to get stuck at the site of extraction. Due to stability of igneous rocks, the site
of extraction of minerals becomes highly dangerous and can act as a threat for the safety of mine
workers. Therefore, it is important to implement an extensive risk management plan for
safeguarding the safety of mine workers along with protection of their rights. According to a
survey conducted at a particular mine in Western Australia, a worker reported that they fear
reporting safety issues to prevent the chances of losing their jobs and potential bonus (Joaquim &
et. al., 2018).
1

The fear of reprimand among workers is the reason why many workers are reluctant to
revealing the atrocities of the mining environment (Lee, Shariatfar, Rashidi, & Lee, 2020). This
is known as the “cover up culture” where the workers feel intimidated or victimised. This
situation was revealed with the help of new data from “Safe work Australia”. The biggest
concern is addressing the sexual exploitation of women at workplaces. There were two cases of
rape reported in the region of western Australia. Mining is the second most prominent place of
occurrence of sexual exploitation among other workplaces in Australia (Posselt, Baker, Deans &
Procter, 2020). The mining environment is a hazardous place for the mental health of an
individual, affecting the overall health of the individual. These places can also act as a trigger for
development of various mental disorders such as PTSD and depression. The main of this
systematic analysis is to evaluate the mental health conditions of mine workers in the industry.
The outcomes of the study conducted on mental disorders faced by mine workers is influenced
by many factors such as psychological, personal, health related factors and the overall well-being
of an individual. There are serious mental health issues that workers are exposed as a part of their
work (Hamblin & et. al., 2022). Therefore, the implementation of strict policies is crucial to
make amends in the working environment and rights of the employees. Mining work is directly
linked to high loads of work along with long shift hours that automatically strain both the
physical and mental health of the workers.
The health status of workers is directly linked to the mining organisation as due to poor
mental health, workers are more likely to remain absent from work and suffer from injuries,
thereby, decreasing the productivity of the overall organisation (Mokoboto, 2021). The biggest
health concern for workers is the risk of development of a long disease called pneumoconiosis.
This disease occurs due to prolonged exposure to airborne dust inhaled by workers, penetrating
into their lung tissue, this particular disease is associated with an increased risk of death from
lung cancer. The hazards of heavy vehicles are also a factor contributing to the risk of physical
safety of the employees. The use of these vehicles is difficult therefore, the safety of all the
workers is put at risk due to low visibility for operating workers. Exposure to sounds of loud
equipment causes irreversible damage to employees working at a mining site leading to
permanent loss of hearing (Hamblin & et. al., 2022). There are a number of factors that
contribute to issues of mental health which includes, physically challenging roles demanding
high intensity repetitive labour work along with handling of dangerous equipment. Long working
2

hours at the mining site leads to conditions of fatigue and social isolation. Isolated settings
directly impact the workforce of the mining industry by development of chronic depression,
anxiety and situations of illicit use of drugs or substances (King, 2019). According to a research
conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), it was suggested that mine workers
experience elevated levels of stress, anxiety and depression. The occupational health research
mostly focuses on the physical health of workers however; the main focus should be on the
treatment of mental health issues. Hazard to physical health is directly linked to the onset of
mental health issues.
The safety and management of risk factors should be implemented for safeguarding the
conditions of mine workers. This is done to ensure that all workers understand their right of
freedom of expression in unmasking the toxic culture of the dangerous mines. Safety inspectors
should be allotted to manage the safety issues during mining. An alarming rate of workers suffer
from the risk of mental illness. This particular literature review gives an insight about the
prevalence of mental health issues in mine workers ranging from fatigue, depression, substance
abuse and sleep disorders (Duarte, Baptista & Torres Marques, 2019). The high rates of
prevalence of mental illnesses is associated with the real problem of addressing the stigma which
exposes the intensity at which shift workers suffer from the difficulty of addressing the issue.
There are various initiatives that have been introduced to address the issue of mental illnesses
suffered by mine and shift workers such as Mate Helping Mate. This program is designed to
address the issues of prevalence of chronic depression in workers living in rural areas (Yu, & Li,
2020). This is a self-help programme where the focus is laid on creating an atmosphere for
workers to open up about their mental health issues. Seeking help from fellow workers and peers
becomes easy as one opens up about the difficulties faced by them, bringing them to the
realisation that they are not alone and professional help is available.
Implementation of emergency management includes possessing appropriate resources for
training methods for achievement of desired health and safety outcomes. The training methods
and efficiency determines the competency of emergency teams. For the implementation of
emergency response, a specialised team should be allotted to plan for foreseeable emergencies
that might occur at the mining site. Conduction of regular ERT trainings which includes analysis
of emergency situations along with post incident analysis should be managed by emergency
management managers. The potential consequence for the occurrence of an event is crucial to be
3

monitored therefore, accessing the existing controls of the operations should be done prior. Mine
and shift workers are exposed to dangers of self-harm and life threatening situations on a daily
basis (Kotzé, & Nel, 2020). Death toll analytics reflect the potential hazards of mineral
extraction because of which there are a total of about 8% fatal accidents occurring in the mining
industry. The possibility of mine cave ins or being “buried alive” is a big concern as it is one of
the most widely reported accident in the western Australian mines. This systematic literature
review analysis also highlights the possibility of hazardous and toxic air-blasts which is the main
cause of debris flying around. The possibility of occurrence of these events puts the mental
health of shift workers at a high risk. These physical and psychological factors lead to
characteristics of mental health disorders resulting from job strain, sense of being unsafe,
conflicts with social relationships and the risk of occurrence of injuries and accidents (Xiu & et.
al., 2020). The elaboration of international policies is necessary for the elimination of factors
responsible for serious mental health problems.
CONCLUSION
From the above literature review analysis, it can be concluded that 85% of the workforce
in the mining industry is made up of men and everyone is directly affected by mental health
issues at some point in their lives. The treatment of mental health issues is effective. However,
men are less likely to professionally seek help for the treatment of their health related disorders.
This leads to the development of chronic illnesses, when left untreated can act as a high risk
factor for suicide. The signs and symptoms of mental illnesses are easy to rectify, therefore, it is
important to seek professional help along with wide range of treatment methods available.
Workplace injuries are known to have serious consequences on the mental health management of
shift workers due to high demand of physical labour and irregular work hours. This leads to
acceleration of mental health problems within the vicinity of the workplace leading to increased
absenteeism and disrupted relationships with co-workers.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Duarte, J., Baptista, J. S., & Torres Marques, A. (2019). Occupational accidents in the mining
industry—a short review. Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, 61-69.
Hamblin, P. S., Abdul‐Wahab, A. L., Xu, S. F., Steele, C. E., & Vogrin, S. (2022). Diabetic
ketoacidosis: a canary in the mine for mental health disorders?. Internal Medicine
Journal, 52(6), 1002-1008.
Hamblin, P. S., Abdul‐Wahab, A. L., Xu, S. F., Steele, C. E., & Vogrin, S. (2022). Ergonomic
assessment of musculoskeletal disorders among surface mine workers in India. Mining,
Metallurgy & Exploration, 38(2), 1041-1046.
Joaquim, A. C., Lopes, M., Stangherlin, L., Castro, K., Ceretta, L. B., Longen, W. C., ... & Perry,
I. D. S. (2018). Mental health in underground coal miners. Archives of Environmental &
Occupational Health, 73(6), 334-343.
King, A. P. (2019). Mindfulness-based workplace interventions for wellness promotion.
In Mental health in the workplace (pp. 191-208). Springer, Cham.
Kotzé, M., & Nel, P. (2020). The influence of job resources on platinum mineworkers’ work
engagement and organisational commitment: An explorative study. The Extractive
Industries and Society, 7(1), 146-152.
Lee, Y. C., Shariatfar, M., Rashidi, A., & Lee, H. W. (2020). Evidence-driven sound detection
for prenotification and identification of construction safety hazards and
accidents. Automation in Construction, 113, 103127.
Mokoboto, D. (2021). Mine Medical Professionals Association AGM. Occupational Health
Southern Africa, 27(5), 186-187.
Nunfam, V. F., Adusei-Asante, K., Frimpong, K., Van Etten, E. J., & Oosthuizen, J. (2020).
Barriers to occupational heat stress risk adaptation of mining workers in
Ghana. International journal of biometeorology, 64(7), 1085-1101.
Posselt, M., Baker, A., Deans, C., & Procter, N. (2020). Fostering mental health and well‐being
among workers who support refugees and asylum seekers in the Australian context. Health
& social care in the community, 28(5), 1658-1670.
Sayers, E., Rich, J., Rahman, M. M., Kelly, B., & James, C. (2019). Does help seeking behavior
change over time following a workplace mental health intervention in the coal mining
industry?. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 61(6), e282-e290.
Shubayr, N., Alashban, Y., Al-Shehri, S., & Almurayshid, M. (2021). Assessment of External
Occupational dose of Phosphate Mine Workers in Saudi Arabia Using
Thermoluminescent Dosemeters. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 196(3-4), 220-225.
Xiu, Z., Nie, W., Yan, J., Chen, D., Cai, P., Liu, Q., ... & Yang, B. (2020). Numerical simulation
study on dust pollution characteristics and optimal dust control air flow rates during coal
mine production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248, 119197.
Yu, M., & Li, J. (2020). Work-family conflict and mental health among Chinese underground
coal miners: the moderating role of psychological capital. Psychology, health &
medicine, 25(1), 1-9.
5