A FIFO tradie has issued a warning, particularly to newcomers in the lucrative industry, to leave their female co-workers alone. While the issue of sexual harassment on mine sites may be slowly improving, it still rears its ugly head.
WA-based scaffolder Jake Shermand has seen this unfold from some of his colleagues in the past and he wants it to stop. He told Yahoo Lifestyle it’s only a very small minority of blokes who make a pass on their female co-workers, but it’s usually the ones who are fresh on the job.
“You see a nice girl, you want to go and talk to her and make your move, but it can make the environment up here quite uncomfortable if the feeling isn’t mutual,” he said.
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Mining companies have been making major strides in recent years to recruit more women into the industry
Back in 2023, figures showed women made up 16 per cent of Australia’s mining workforce. But numbers released in 2025 revealed that number had jumped to 22 per cent.
It’s been a male-dominated industry for decades and the slow but steady increase in female coworkers has been a culture shock for some blokes.
Do you have a story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
Jake said some aren’t used to working alongside women day in, day out, and aren’t keeping up with the societal norms and expectations around how they’re meant to be treated.
The London-born tradie moved over to the sunny shores of Australia in 2022, but has been in the construction industry for more than a decade.
In the more than three years since Jake has been in the Aussie mines, he’s watched and heard of countless examples of men shooting their shot.
In a lot of those cases, the approach has been rejected and created awkwardness and tension, but “mainly for the woman”.
“But there’s also instances I’ve heard in the past where guys have made passes or inappropriate comments and copped a call from HR or have been given a window seat back home,” he added, suggesting that some have been suspended or even fired.
The scaffolder said romances have blossomed from time to time, but only in rare circumstances.
Why shooting your shot in the FIFO world is different to a normal workplace
FIFO mine sites are unlike other workplaces.
Most shifts are 12 gruelling hours, where you’re usually in the sun or heat for a decent amount of that time.
Once you’ve clocked off, instead of going home, you’re surrounded by your colleagues who are all staying in the same camp.
Swings will differ from job to job and site to site, but a typical shift pattern for FIFO workers is two weeks on, and then one week off.
Jake said this is why it’s better to not try it on with your colleagues because you have to spend a lot of time with them.
“Leave the women on site alone,” he said in a recent TikTok video.
“It is not worth the headache. Save it till you’re on your R&R, or you’re in Perth, or you’re in Bali.
“Being a menace the women on site will create more problems for you than it will benefit.
“My advice, do not even bother. Say your hi’s and your bye’s, but do not be trying to graft the women on site.”
He described mine campsites like a “playground” in the sense that if you try to hit up a female coworker and it goes the wrong way, it won’t stay a secret.
“Everyone’s talking and everyone’s sharing each other’s business,” he told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“So if you do something which you shouldn’t do, or it’s not reciprocated or mutual, word will get round.
“And it’s not usually a very good thing to be the guy you know trying to hit chicks up or making chicks feel uncomfortable.”
Mining can be a great place to earn a decent wage, but the industry has been called out for the way women are treated on site. Picture: Getty
Women leave industry after harassment in workplace
TDC Global and the National Association of Women in Construction collaborated for a report in 2024, which found that one in 10 women had been harassed out of the construction industry altogether.
Even more damning was that nearly two-thirds of the more than 650 female workers surveyed said they saw no change in their workplace after reporting an incident.
The Mining and Energy Union said this habit needed to stop.
“Stories emerging about women being victimised or even dismissed after making a complaint about sexual harassment are sadly all too common,” Union general vice president Stephen Smyth said at the time.
“Unfortunately, mining companies have a long history of targeting and blacklisting employees perceived to rock the boat.
“This has long been a concern regarding general mine safety and is a clear factor in mining companies failing to address sexual harassment.
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“Mining can be a great career for women and it is fantastic to see more women joining the industry.
“But mining companies have a long way to go to gain trust that they will handle cases of sexual harassment and abuse fairly and transparently.”
The Western Australian government conducted a damning inquiry into sexual harassment and assault of women in the FIFO mining industry back in 2022.
At the time, women accounted for 18.9 per cent of the workforce in the state, yet they made up 74 per cent of workers who reported sexual harassment at work.
The report found the mining industry “appears to have made progress in weeding out explicit and over forms of sexual harassment”, however “covert forms” like sexism and misogyny “remained high”.
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