029: In the Mind of a Miner - What Mental Health Means in Today’s Mining Industry with Rob Kalwarowsky

In an industry that runs 24/7, 365 days a year, mining never stops.

The work is hard and hazardous, while the working conditions are among the most unfriendly of any occupation.

Furthermore, the typical miner earns good wages and is also forced by circumstances to work longer hours, live away from family, and operate in extremely dangerous or remote environments.

All this, coupled with the notion that miners must not show any signs of weakness, means that the industry is flooding with people experiencing mental health issues.

According to the Hunter Institute of Mental Health, men and women in the mining industry suffer predominantly from anxiety, which is likely brought about by tight schedules, finances, work stress, and personal issues. Although the exact cause of these mental health issues is not known, what is known is that lifestyles associated with mining can pose distinct challenges for mental health, family, and relationships.

Our guest for today, Rob Kalwarowsky, aims to encourage mining executives to invest and focus on promoting good mental health practices and policies in the mining industry.

Rob has spent more than 10 years as a reliability engineer & asset manager within mining, oil and gas pipelines, and consulting industries. His primary focus areas are failure prediction, condition monitoring, spare parts optimization, asset management and people-centric leadership.

Topics we Discussed Include