A Healthy Workplace for a Healthy Workforce: Identifying Predictors of Health Impacting Workplace Productivity in the Mining Industry of Saskatchewan

The mining sector plays a huge role in the Saskatchewan economy, in addition to being the largest private sector employer of Aboriginal peoples in the province. It is important economically and socially for the mining workforce to be healthy and productive. Yet we know little about the impacts of physical and mental health on productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism and disability within the industry. Effective health promotion is particularly important given the predominant demographics of the mining workforce: men, and in particular rural, Aboriginal and blue collar men, are far less likely to have regular physical exams, seek health care, or proactively address mental health issues of excessive stress or depression. This project will identify existing predictors of health and health behaviours that are impacting the productivity of the mining workforce. The goal is to determine ways to maximize health promotion and worker wellness within a mine environment as a way to increase productivity by linking healthy workplace environments with healthy employees.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lorna Butler

Student:

Tamer Qarmout

Partner:

International Minerals Innovation Institute

Discipline:

Nursing

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Program: