Project 2.32 Challenges for the FIFO/DIDO Workforce: Impacts on Health, Safety, and Relationships
Channel: SBEnrc
Date: 2016-02-04

Australia is experiencing a rising trend in the use of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) workers within the construction sector especially associated with the resource extraction industry. Previous research to understand the implications associated with this unique workforce has been limited, and industry is faced with many new challenges for the safe management of this workforce. 
The complexity of this workforce covers a range of factors including roster design, shift work, working hours, performance, satisfaction, turnover, wellbeing, relationships and community issues. There is growing evidence of unacceptable rates of turnover in the order of 35-45% in the construction and infrastructure FIFO/DIDO workforce. In addition there is evidence in exit interview that workers are leaving this workforce because of an inability to balance work and life demands, a feeling of isolation, and roster and work demands. 
There are urgent economic and psychosocial reasons to understand the detrimental challenges of the FIFO/DIDO work environment and seek to reduce their effects. 
This research sought to better understand the relationship between workplace requirements and personal and social relationships for the FIFO/DIDO workforce, assess the consequent impacts on workplace factors of health, safety and productivity and personal and family relationships, and recommend more sustainable work practices.