Flying to Work in Australia
Key Vocabulary
to travel in an airplane
The workers fly to the mine.
a place where people take minerals from the ground
He works at an iron ore mine.
far away from other places
The mine is in a remote area.
a period of time when someone works
She finishes her shift in the evening.
a period when someone does not work
He has a long break at home after working at the mine.
Article
Some people in Australia fly on a plane to go to work. This is called FIFO, or fly-in, fly-out work. It is common at some remote mines. [1]
The mine can be very far from a worker's home. It is too far to travel every day.
Workers fly to the mine and stay there during their work days. They sleep in accommodation near the worksite. When their work period ends, they fly home. [1][2]
FIFO work can be useful because workers do not need to move their families to a remote area. They can keep their normal home in another city.
However, workers may spend many days away from family and friends. Work can also be tiring. Western Australia has special guidance to help companies support FIFO workers' health and wellbeing. [2][3]
Some people like this type of work because they have longer breaks at home. Other people prefer to come home every day. FIFO creates a very different way of organizing work and family life.
Discussion Questions
- How do you usually travel to work?
- What would you take with you if you worked far from home?
- What would be difficult about sleeping near your workplace?
- What are the good things about having several days off together?
- Which work schedule would be best for you?
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) Workers." Source
- WorkSafe Western Australia, "Mentally healthy workplaces for fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers in the resources and construction sectors: Code of practice." Source
- Government of Western Australia, "Report calls for action to improve mental health and wellbeing in FIFO workers." Source
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