by Daniela Andrei

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John is the mining superintendent responsible for safety and production, overseeing a number of departments at an Australian iron ore mine site. John’s work roster is set up so that he works 8 days in a row, followed by 6 days off. When he is on site, his work day starts at around 5am. Before 9am, John will assist with the handover process between night and day shift managers, review paper work and inspect the pits for safety risks to ensure they comply with legal safety requirements. Much of the rest of his day is involved in meetings, planning activities, evaluation of safety risks and work on upcoming projects. The mine operates 24/7 meaning that his afternoon involves preparing for night shift staff.

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Job Significance and Opportunities

 

John experiences high levels of job significance in his job, mainly due to the opportunities that his position gives him to get involved in his subordinates’ professional growth and development to see them moving through the organizational hierarchy. But John’s job is also a really demanding one, particularly when it comes to the working conditions:  mine operations take place in a hazardous environment in which the size and weight of the machinery presents significant safety risks. With these intense work schedules, it is not surprising that and adequate balance between work and family demands is one of John’s main concerns, and the fact that his managerial position does not allow him to fully disconnect from work during his off-time might negatively impact on his ability to maintain this balance but also on his overall recovery from work.

 

“Mining is a high risk, high reward environment in every way… roles are made redundant overnight and it’s a flow on effect from the price of ore”.