WA mine workers report burnout, harassment

Western Australian mining workers continue to face issues of burnout and sexual harassment despite a general improvement in workplace culture, a landmark report reveals.

The findings were revealed in the fourth report in the Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) program landmark study, that was released today.

Curtin University’s Centre for Transformative Work Design researchers surveyed 2,550 Western Australian mine workers and interviewed 60 individuals one-on-one for the study.

In the report, the researchers found 41 per cent of WA mining workers reported feeling satisfied with their jobs.

However, 30 per cent of mining workers reported high levels of psychological distress while 38 per cent reported feeling burnt out.

According to the report, 16 per cent of workers reported having experience bullying up to three times a month in the past six months.

The report also found 41 per cent of female mining workers reported experiences of being put down or condescended to, and 34 per cent reported receiving sexist remarks.

In the report, the researchers found levels of sexist and sexual hostility experienced by WA mining workers were high, especially for women.

“For both men and women, covert behaviours of sexist and sexual hostility tend to be higher compared to the more overt behaviours of unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion,” the report reads.

“The industry appears to have made progress in weeding out explicit and overt forms of sexual harassment, but covert forms of sexual harassment such as sexism and misogyny remain high, with 5-41 per cent of women mining workers reported experiencing behaviours of sexist and sexual hostility sometimes, often, or very often within the past 12 months, while 3-11 per cent of men experienced the same.”

MARS program landmark study chief investigator Sharon Parker said only four in ten WA mining workers reported feeling satisfied with their job.

Professor Parker said nearly one in three WA mining workers said they were likely to search for a new job in the next 12 months.

“Our research found one in three mining workers experiences emotional exhaustion regularly, indicating high levels of burnout,” she said.

“Disturbingly, covert forms of sexual harassment, including sexism and misogyny, persist.”

Professor Parker said the negative impact of these experiences on workers’ mental health and wellbeing was evident.

“With the mining sector constituting 10 per cent of our workforce in WA and playing a pivotal role in our state’s economic prosperity, this study is a crucial step in highlighting the mental health, safety and well-being of workers,” she said.

The report's lead author Cheryl Yam said a collective commitment was needed to achieve lasting change in workplace culture.

“The mining industry is a leader in physical safety. With the support and resources from the MARS Program, we are confident that the mining industry is well positioned to also be a leader in mental health and well-being,” she said.

“Our research findings provide a roadmap for meaningful action to address and reduce covert forms of sexual harassment and create respectful workplaces to attract, retain and prevent harm to women and people in other minority groups.”

The four-year landmark study to gather and evaluate data on issues in the mining sector is part of a state government program launched in December 2021.

Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk said eliminating inappropriate behaviours from workplaces is a priority for the state government.

"Let's be clear - everyone has the right to be safe at work,” she said.

“For too long, bullying, harassment and sexism have been all too present in our workplaces.

"I welcome the release of the latest landmark study report - it's vital that we continue to learn about worker experiences, attitudes and behaviours on WA mine sites if we are to make them safer, and encourage more women into the industry.”

Ms McGurk said while the industry made progress, changing entrenched attitudes would take time with the report’s findings to help guide future initiatives to change WA’s mining industry.

"While mining is a male-dominated industry, we know the sector needs the skills women can provide and we know women want rewarding jobs,” Women's Interests Minister Sue Ellery said.

"If we treat women in the mining sector with the respect they deserve, we will create a more diverse industry with greater safety and economic outcomes."

The Curtin University research team is expected to present the final report in 2026.