by: RICK MORTON From: The Australian March 19, 2013 12:00AM
A BOOM-TIME for fly-in, fly-out workers in the resources economy has led to concerns about the mental wellbeing of transitory workers, prompting some of Australia's largest companies to expand support services for struggling workers and their families.
The Australian revealed yesterday about 100,000 workers fly or drive long distances for work in the resource and resource-allied sectors, but the true effect on workers had become clear at the highest levels of business only in the past three years.
John Holland Group project supervisor Paul Sudholz, 39, has been a FIFO employee for the past decade and oversees a roster of workers for the construction company as it extends wharves for miner Rio Tinto in the Pilbara.
In that time he met and married wife Jenn and has helped raise a son, Frederick, now 2.
"Having the little boy makes the long rosters even tougher. It's a difficult game to be in and I think a lot of the new workers see the dollar signs on the job and might not realise it comes with problems, too," he said.
The three weeks on and one week off roster has meant Mrs Sudholz, 38, has spent the past two years effectively as a single parent.
"You learn to make the sacrifices, but it's been a huge help with the support services, particularly with John Holland."
The company has been trialling the Working Away Support Program, which executive general manager of energy and resources Brendan Petersen said evolved because of employee feedback.
"I think we joined the dots, as a company, but not just for the mental health of our employees but also for the families they leave behind to do the work," he said.
"The battle we fought, and that other companies are fighting, is one of being attuned to the issues and culturally aware.
"We also wanted to test the take-up rate. We were not very sure how well the men and women would respond because the need for support in this sector can sometimes be seen as a weakness.
"There is nothing wrong with needing help."
The company offers barbecues for isolated families, counselling services for the workers and their partners and online support.
Lifeline WA chief executive Fiona Kalaf said mining and construction workers living isolated lives in remote communities were at a higher risk of depression and suicide than almost all other groups. She has commissioned what she hopes will be the largest study of FIFO workers to bring those effects out into the open.
"What we didn't do, however, is approach the study from a deficit point of view," she said.
"We know the lifestyle also brings many benefits and we hope to have a full picture when the research is ready later this year."
Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health chief executive Jennifer Bowers said companies like Thiess and Byrnecut Mining had addressed mental health concerns in their FIFO workforces.
"The workers all know it's a problem, but the trouble has been getting the message to the executives in head office," she said.
Support is a precious safety net for the Sudholz family.
"The hardest part is that Frederick now knows a trip to the airport means daddy has to go away again; that can be quite distressing," Mrs Sudholz said.