Air quality is an issue in mine camps across Australia, but VBreathe has a solution.
There’s nothing worse than feeling fatigued and lethargic while on the job.
This is the everyday reality for many mine workers, as they endure poor ventilation and air quality in their mining dongas.
Given the dusty environments of most mine sites in Australia, if an operator isn’t proactive about managing poor air quality, their workers are likely at risk of cognitive and/or respiratory conditions. And with studies indicating indoor air quality on mine sites is up to five times worse than outdoor air, the health risks are further multiplied.
One fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) mine worker can attest to the issue, detailing the conditions they are exposed to on every FIFO stint.
“While I’m not directly located at the working mine, I’m surrounded by red dirt and exposed to hot, dusty conditions,” the FIFO worker told Australian Mining.
“Our rooms must always remain closed due to the dust generated by high winds, moving vehicles and air-conditioning fans.
“I can sense that the ventilation in my donga is poor, and the air quality feels noticeably bad every time I step inside. Everyone can clearly see the dust around the campsite.”
How does this make him feel?
“I experience a dry, stuffy nose when waking up for my shift,” he said. “I don’t feel as refreshed as I do at home and often feel lethargic or tired. I also seem to get colds or the flu more frequently while working on-site.
“My allergies are much worse on-site compared to when I’m at home.”
For a FIFO worker completing an eight-day swing, the ailments can add up.
“By day three (of my FIFO stint), I’m feeling tired and stuffy,” they said. “Mentally, I feel drained and sometimes I’m not sure why.
“When I get sick on-site, I have to work through it. Then, when I return home, I spend three of my six days off recovering. The biggest issue is that I just don’t feel like myself during my eight-day swing.”
It’s unlikely this is an isolated case, with similar grievances shared by other FIFO workers.
Poor air quality not only affects a worker’s mental health and wellbeing but also a site’s productivity and safety, potentially impacting profitability.
So what’s the solution?
VBreathe is offering access to its patented air purification and sanitisation technology as a service, with its unit installed inside a mining donga to actively neutralise bacteria, viruses, and other airborne particles like dust and silica.
Image: VBreathe
There’s no upfront cost for the mining company, with companies committing to a monthly subscription fee to gain access to the VBreathe unit and all the associated upkeep, monitoring and maintenance that comes with it.
“We understand that some miners have hundreds if not thousands of dongas on-site,” VBreathe executive account director Jason Tippett told Australian Mining. “And if they have to buy a unit for every donga, the outlay can be exceptionally high, potentially discouraging the purchase altogether.”
VBreathe removes the hassle of buying and maintaining the unit.
“As part of the service, we provide access to state-of-the-art technology that purifies air indoors and sanitises all surfaces,” Tippett said.
“This enables miners to deliver an optimal environment for the wellbeing and productivity of their employees and not have to worry about it – everything related to the upkeep and maintenance of the VBreathe unit is handled by us.”
The unit comes with an app enabling mining companies and VBreathe technicians to monitor the unit’s performance and efficacy in real-time.
VBreathe then systematically schedules times to replace the gels and filters based on the app’s insights.
“The gels generally get replaced every two months, and the filters get replaced every four to six months,” Tippett said.
“When our technicians visit site, they replace the gels and filters, and clean the unit, making sure it’s operating at the highest level. Site visits also allow us to share feedback so miners can see how the unit is fixing their air quality and benefiting their workers.”
The mine worker interviewed has been using the VBreathe unit for at least six months, and recently gained insight into the poor air quality in their donga.
“After changing the filter, I was shocked by how red and dusty it was,” he said. “It even had an odour to it.”
After falling sick multiple times in past winters, the worker said their health has dramatically improved since the VBreathe unit was installed, boosting wellbeing and productivity as a result.
“I don’t understand why these kinds of units aren’t standard on-site,” he said.
Keen to learn more? VBreathe is offering a free trial of its subscription service, where you can road-test the VBreathe unit and the monitoring capabilities that come with it.
This feature appeared in the February 2025 issue of Australian Mining.
