
The Mental Awareness, Respect, and Safety (MARS) program will help the mining industry in Western Australia by providing PhD scholarships to students.
The MARS program supports workplace safety, culture, and mental health.
The Mining Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), which recognizes exceptional PhD candidates whose work will advance health and psychological safety in the mining industry, has given out scholarships.
Four additional winners will focus on important industry issues like dust safety and psychological safety.
Ronald James of Edith Cowan University is investigating the use of psychological capital to improve psychological safety in mining in Western Australia.
Nousheen Fatima, his student counterpart, is researching the important effects of psychosocial risk factors on the behaviors of mining workers and the sustainability of the workforce.
The MARS initiative and the PhD scholarships, according to WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael, are essential to establishing the state as a world leader in occupational safety and mental health in the mining industry.
“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 Western Australia’s mining sector.”
WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk said 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.”