MPI Recruitment has released another survey which raises questions about fatigue and safety across mine sites for fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers in Australia.
The anonymous poll, conducted between 2-16 March 2026, gathered responses from 207 FIFO workers across a range of sites and roster types.
According to the latest survey, only one in four FIFO workers say their roster is sustainable beyond six months without change, which represents that more than half are saying their current roster is not sustainable long-term or already causing burnout.
MPI Recruitment says mining is one of Australia’s most safety-critical industries, where fatigue management and alertness are essential to prevent serious incidents.
On top of fatigue and alertness, the nature of FIFO jobs can trigger a range of mental health issues including anxiety, stress, depression and sleep disorders.
Australia’s FIFO and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) models, while necessary for operational efficiency, have been linked to increased stress and elevated suicide rates, as Mining.com.au reported.
The FIFO workforce is predominantly males aged between 25 to 44. Couple this with that fact that Elliotts Australia reports that suicide is the number one killer of men aged between 15 and 44 years old, and it’s easy to see a troubling picture emerging.
Many of the survey respondents directly linked unsustainable rosters to exhaustion, a known driver of workplace incidents. Several also reported feeling physically and mentally drained, particularly during long rotations.
One respondent wrote “long swings are the problem. You’re exhausted by the end of it and still have to travel home. It’s hard to recover properly before going back again”.
Another wrote that the job is fine, yet the time away and length of the swing is what wears you down.
“I want to do either 8/6 or 2/2, this roster is burn out,” the respondent added.
A burnt out industry
MPI Recruitment says that the problem may not be FIFO, but how rosters are being designed.
FIFO work remains an attractive career path for Australians, accounting for more than 60,000 employees. Western Australia, specifically, hosts the largest share of these workers with more than 50,000 employed on FIFO rosters in the state alone.
However, MPI Recruitment’s survey reveals that workers are repeatedly suggesting roster changes such as moving from 3:1 to 2:2 or moving from 2:1 to 8:6, as well as a balanced seven days on seven days off.
Despite public discussions about wages in mining, very few respondents suggested pay increases as the key to sustainability. Instead, workers consistently pointed out wanting more time with family, balanced roster swings and better organised flight times.
MPI Recruitment adds that for many, FIFO appears to be becoming a temporary financial strategy, particularly as rising living costs and inflation pressures drive workers to prioritise short-term income over long-term sustainability.
This trend could potentially have serious implications for the industry, as mining companies continue to face skills shortages and rising competition for experienced workers.
According to the Australian Government, around 297,500 workers are employed in the mining industry. Despite this figure, nearly half of Australia’s youth population are unaware of how to forge careers in the industry, aside from becoming a miner.
Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance’s Gen Z Perceptions of Mining report says that as little as 17% of young Australians speak with their parents about entering a career in mining.
In a separate survey conducted earlier this year, MPI Recruitment found that many mining professionals are leaving the industry as a result of leadership and workplace culture.
As previously reported, 86% of Australia’s mining workers are movable, with only 14% ‘empathetically’ planning to stay put in 2026. Out of the 217 employees surveyed, 66% prioritise leadership and culture, while only 6% care mostly about pay.
MPI Recruitment says that in an industry where fatigue, heavy machinery and long shifts intersect daily, the stakes are clear.
“If more than half of workers believe their roster is unsustainable or already causing burnout, leaders face a tough but necessary conversation,” MPI says.
“Making roster sustainability a boardroom priority, alongside safety, productivity and workforce retention, may be essential to keeping FIFO a viable long-term career option. Beyond roster design, there are practical steps already being discussed across the industry.”
MPI Recruitment specialises in connecting skilled people with trusted mining employers through temporary, permanent and executive search recruitment.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: iStock
