In the mining industry, burnout has soared in the last two years, due to supply chain issues, COVID-19, global economic disruptions due to political unrest, and shifting expectations of a younger workforce. Recent mental health studies confirm this, however mental health issues in the mining industry were on the rise even before the pandemic. The 2019 Mining Mental Health Study showed elevated and concerning levels of stress, anxiety and depression in mine workers when compared to the broader workforce. Historically, occupational health research in mining has focused on physical health, for instance respiratory disease or the impact of noise, heat and vibration on worker health.

An estimated 500,000 Canadians miss work during any given week because of mental health-related problems, which can lead to lower productivity, higher job turnover, poor engagement and job dissatisfaction. Most importantly, from a health and safety perspective, this poses an increased risk of a workplace incident or injury. The study also found that over 23 per cent of workers surveyed had levels of stress considered to be concerning, and women were more likely to report moderate to severe stress levels than male workers. Stress levels were found to be the highest in workers aged 30 to 49 and lower in workers aged 50 and up.

This episode of The Safety Share will focus on mental health awareness in mining: what we know, what we’ve learned and what we can do as team leaders and team members to improve it. Lifestyle choices, relationships and the ability to balance home and work life can all play a role, along with the work environment, demands, schedule, job satisfaction and more.

Our guest speakers Keith Hanson and Dr. Michel Larivière will walk us through their experience and learnings working together on bringing mental health awareness to the mine, underground and above.