MARS Program - Understanding the situation

It is imperative that the issues affecting health and safety in the mining industry across all three focus areas are fully understood. The better the knowledge base, the more effective the responses and solutions can be.
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The Landmark Study

The State Government has engaged the Centre for Transformative Work Design (CTWD) at Curtin University to design and implement a research and evaluation project on mental health, sexual harassment, emerging mine safety issues and related workplace initiatives to improve mental health, wellbeing, culture and respect in the mining industry.

The Landmark Study will include the collection of baseline data on workers’ experiences in the industry, with a follow-up data collection after three years to evaluate the success of workplace initiatives intended to improve mental health, well-being, culture and respect in the mining industry.  

Preliminary Report 1: Towards a healthy and safe workforce in the mining industry: A review and mapping of current practice

This report provides an assessment of employee well-being in the mining sector and develops an innovative approach to construct measures of employers’ prioritisation of three dimensions of well-being: mental health and well-being, physical health and safety, and workplace culture that protects against sexual harassment.

Download MARS - Preliminary Report 1: A review and mapping of current practice

Preliminary Report 2A: The Landmark Study: A review and synthesis of the literature

This report provides a literature review which provides an overview and synthesis of the current literature concerning the three focus areas. Findings from this report will guide the further investigation of these focus areas.

Download MARS - Preliminary Report 2A: A review and synthesis of the literature

Preliminary Report 2B: Landmark Study: Workplace policy and practice survey

This report establishes as baseline of current practices and experiences, through a workplace policy and practice survey. The survey asked than 100 human resources and related experts about the initiatives engaged in by their current companies.

Download MARS Preliminary Report 2B: Workplace policy and practice survey

Landmark Study Report: Insights from the Worker Survey and Interviews 

This report will establish a baseline of current practices and experiences, through:

  • an employee survey that assesses employees’ experiences in regard to the three focus areas
  • employee interviews to understand the lived experiences of employees in relation to the three focus areas.

Download MARS Landmark Study Report: Insights from the worker survey and interviews.

Preliminary Report 3

This report consists of the findings from a follow-up data collection effort. The success of the initiatives implemented after the baseline data collection will be evaluated in this report. This report is expected to be released early 2026.

Final Report 4: Final report

The fourth and final report will synthesise the findings and report on efforts across the four years, including but not limited to data collection efforts to track the trajectories and changes in the three focus areas over time, and will include recommendations. This report is expected to be released second quarter 2026.

Two surveys were used to inform the Landmark Study Report: Insights from the Worker Survey and Interviews.

  1. The workplace policy and practices survey that assessed the initiatives that mining companies engage in to support employee well-being. This survey closed 4 November 2022.
  2. An employee survey that assesses employees’ experiences in regard to the three focus areas. This survey took place in March 2023.

The findings of the Landmark Study may inform industry and will help guide future funding decisions for the MARS Program.

More information about the Landmark Study.