Mental health in mining PhD scholarships

The Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) program continues to address mental well-being, positive workplace culture and safety in the WA mining industry by supporting exceptional students through PhD scholarships.

The PhD scholarships, awarded by the Minerals Research Institute of WA (MRIWA), are championing high quality PhD students who are leading the way in health and psychosocial safety research in the minerals sector.

The innovative research underway emphasises the importance of workplace culture and safety in the WA minerals sector.

Research activities include:

• exploring how psychological capital can be leveraged to improve psychological safety in the WA mining industry context by Roger James at Edith Cowan University;
• assessing a range of occupational hygiene dust sampling devices to determine their suitability for risk-based exposure measurements in Australian mining operations by Benjamin Walsh at Edith Cowan University;
• examining the significant impacts of psychosocial risk factors on workforce sustainability and workers’ behaviours in the mining industry by Nousheen Fatima at Edith Cowan University and
• research into understanding how leaders construct and deliver effective safety stories and capture the impact on safety outcomes by Patrick Benetti at the University of Western Australia.

WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael says the MARS Program PhD scholarships are key to positioning WA as a global leader in workplace safety and mental health in the mining sector.

“This research will help drive innovative solutions and support sustainable workforce practices,” he said.

“The WA Government is proud to invest in the next generation of researchers whose work will directly contribute to improving safety outcomes and fostering healthier, more inclusive workplace cultures across the mining industry.

“By supporting minerals research through initiatives like the MARS Program, we are reinforcing the importance of workplace health and safety in WA’s mining sector.”

WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk says the mining industry has come a long way in recent years when it comes to addressing issues around the health and well-being of workers, but there is more to be done.

“These scholarships will be important to advance mental health initiatives and to shape strategies that put the well-being of workers first,” she said.

“This research is another example of our shared commitment to continuous improvement and I wish each of the recipients the best of luck.”