How to roster mining staff
Create compliant rosters for mining and FIFO workers under the Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011), including classifications, shift loadings, FIFO swings, and fatigue management.
Written by
Steve Harris
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This guide provides general information about mining rostering under Australian awards. Many mining operations are covered by enterprise agreements with additional provisions. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
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Key takeaways
- Most metalliferous mining, exploration and on-site processing staff are covered by the Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) — black coal and quarrying are separate
- Non-continuous afternoon and night shifts attract +15% (permanent night +30%), with Saturday at 150% then 200%, Sunday 200%, and public holidays 250%
- Continuous shiftworkers receive 200% for all overtime, while non-continuous workers get 150% then 200%
- Add the $2.06/hr underground allowance, apply the 25% casual loading, and manage fatigue across the whole FIFO swing
Mining staff rostering in Australia
Rostering mining staff in Australia requires balancing continuous operations, remote-site logistics, and strict award compliance under the Mining Industry Award 2020. This guide builds on general roster types with mining-specific requirements. Unlike fixed-location businesses, mining workforce management involves fly-in fly-out swings, 24/7 continuous shifts, and complex overtime and penalty rates alongside fatigue obligations. Start with clear mining job descriptions for each role and classification level.
Mining employers must manage operators, drillers, trades, processing staff, and specialist roles across day, afternoon, and night rotations. Each role requires specific tickets and competencies that must be current before rostering workers to site, and pay depends on getting the classification, shift type, and allowances right.
Industry reality: Mining businesses face remote-site fatigue risk, tight production schedules, and the need to balance labour costs against commodity margins. Poor rostering leads to fatigue-related safety incidents, underpayment claims from missed allowances, and disputes over long FIFO swings.
This guide provides a comprehensive approach to creating compliant mining rosters that meet award requirements, support site safety, manage fatigue, and control operational labour costs. Learn more about mining rostering software.
Mining industry Award base rates 2026
The Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) sets classification-based pay for metalliferous mining, exploration, and on-site processing. Casuals add 25%.
| Classification / item | Base hourly | Casual (+25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Mining introductory (adult) | $27.53 | $34.41 |
| Mining level 7 (top adult) | $37.62 | $47.03 |
| Underground allowance | +$2.06/hr | Added to all underground time |
Critical: Black coal mining is covered by a separate award (MA000001), and quarrying and oil & gas extraction are excluded from the Mining Award. Confirm coverage with our find-the-right-award guide before you roster.
6 steps to compliant mining rostering
Follow these steps to create compliant and effective mining rosters under the Mining Industry Award.
Confirm the award and coverage
Check that your workers are covered by the Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011) before you build a roster.
Key points:
- MA000011 covers metalliferous mining, exploration and on-site processing
- Black coal mining is a separate award (MA000001) — not MA000011
- Quarrying and oil & gas extraction are excluded from the Mining Award
- Professional roles like geologists and mining engineers are generally award-free
Classify staff by stream and level
Assign each worker the correct classification level so their base pay and penalties are right.
Key points:
- Adult classifications run from Introductory ($27.53/hr) to Level 7 ($37.62/hr)
- Match each role to the classification descriptors, not just job title
- Casual employees receive a 25% casual loading on the base rate
- Add the $2.06/hr underground allowance for time worked underground
Choose the roster cycle
Decide between fly-in fly-out swings, drive-in drive-out, or residential rosters, and whether the operation is continuous.
Key points:
- Common FIFO patterns include 8/6, 2/1, even-time and back-to-back
- Continuous shiftworkers rotate around 24/7 operations
- Non-continuous shiftworkers work fixed day, afternoon or night shifts
- Account for travel days when planning each swing
Apply shift loadings and penalties
Calculate the correct loadings for shift type, weekends, public holidays and overtime.
Key points:
- Afternoon and night shifts: +15% loading (permanent night +30%)
- Saturday: 150% for the first 3 hours, then 200%
- Sunday: 200%; public holidays: 250%
- Overtime: 150% first 3 hours then 200% (continuous shiftworkers: 200% throughout)
Manage fatigue and tickets
Build rosters that manage fatigue on FIFO swings and keep tickets current.
Key points:
- Provide adequate rest breaks between consecutive shifts
- Cap consecutive days worked to reduce cumulative fatigue
- Monitor total hours across the whole swing, not just each day
- Verify tickets and competencies are current before rostering to site
Publish and sync to payroll
Share the roster and send approved hours to payroll with award interpretation applied.
Key points:
- Publish shifts to the mobile app so crews see their swing instantly
- Export approved hours to Xero or MYOB without re-keying
- Apply automatic award interpretation to loadings and allowances
- Refresh classification rates each 1 July
Mining shift loadings 2026
Current penalty rates and shift loadings under the Mining Industry Award.
| Shift Type | Loading | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon shift (non-continuous) | +15% | Loading on the ordinary hourly rate |
| Night shift (non-continuous) | +15% | Loading on the ordinary hourly rate |
| Permanent night shift | +30% | Where the roster is permanently night |
| Saturday | 150% first 3hrs, 200% after | Ordinary hours worked Saturday |
| Sunday (all hours) | 200% | All mining workers |
| Public holiday | 250% | Work performed on a public holiday |
| Overtime (non-continuous) | 150% first 3hrs, 200% after | Day workers and non-continuous shift |
| Overtime (continuous shiftworkers) | 200% | All overtime hours |
| Casual loading | +25% | Added to the base rate |
Figures reflect the FY2026/27 Mining Industry Award. Penalty multipliers differ for continuous shiftworkers. Use our penalty rate calculator for accurate shift cost planning.
Common FIFO roster patterns
Fly-in fly-out roster patterns for remote mining sites and continuous operations.
8/6
8 days on, 6 days off
Common metalliferous FIFO swing
2/1
2 weeks on, 1 week off
Longer remote-site swings
Even-time
Equal days on and off (e.g. 8/8, 14/14)
Better fatigue balance, family friendly
Back-to-back
Two crews cover one continuous roster line
Continuous 24/7 operations
5/2
5 days on, 2 days off
Residential or drive-in drive-out near town
FIFO fatigue management
FIFO rosters must consider fatigue management principles. Long swings (2/1, back-to-back) increase fatigue-related incident risk. Monitor consecutive days worked, total hours, and provide adequate time-off ratios. Even-time rosters help balance recovery with production.
Fatigue and safety considerations for mining rostering
Remote mining sites have unique fatigue and safety requirements that must be factored into rostering decisions.
Critical safety factors for mining rostering:
Common mining rostering mistakes
Avoid these costly errors that lead to compliance issues, safety risks, and underpayment claims.
Applying the wrong award
Consequence: Underpayment or overpayment when black coal or quarrying rules are used by mistake
Solution: Confirm coverage — black coal is MA000001, quarrying and oil & gas are excluded — using our find-the-right-award guide
Missing the underground allowance
Consequence: Underpayment claims from underground workers and back-pay exposure
Solution: Add the $2.06/hr underground allowance for all time worked underground and automate it with award interpretation
Confusing continuous and non-continuous shiftworkers
Consequence: Wrong overtime and penalty rates applied across the swing
Solution: Continuous shiftworkers receive 200% for all overtime; non-continuous workers get 150% then 200%
Keeping long-term casuals on FIFO swings
Consequence: Casual conversion disputes and entitlement claims
Solution: Review casual arrangements regularly and consider permanent conversion for workers on regular swings
Not updating rates each July
Consequence: Underpayment claims once the annual wage review takes effect
Solution: Refresh classification rates every 1 July and let rostering software apply the new figures
Ignoring fatigue on long swings
Consequence: Fatigue-related safety incidents and WHS breaches
Solution: Track consecutive days and cumulative hours, and follow mining WHS obligations
Advanced mining rostering strategies
Strategies for complex mining rostering scenarios and continuous-operation workforce optimization.
Continuous-operation rostering
Mining operations that run 24/7 need multiple crews rotating around the clock, with clear handovers and correct pay treatment for continuous shiftworkers at each site.
- Crew rotation: Use back-to-back roster lines so every shift is covered without gaps across the swing
- Continuous shift pay: Apply 200% for all overtime for continuous shiftworkers, distinct from non-continuous day workers
- Underground tracking: Automatically apply the $2.06/hr underground allowance to relevant shifts
Learn more: How to calculate overtime costs
Skills and ticket-based allocation
Match qualified workers to shifts based on tickets, competencies, and classification level. Different operations require specific coverage and supervision on every rotation.
Example ticket requirements by activity:
- Haulage & mobile plant: Operators with load & haul competencies
- Drill & blast: Drillers, shotfirers, explosives handlers
- Underground: Underground-inducted crew, jumbo operators
- Processing & maintenance: Trades, fixed-plant operators, electricians
Tip: Use rostering software with skills tagging to ensure ticketed workers are assigned to appropriate tasks and receive roster warnings for missing or expiring competencies.
Fatigue and swing contingency planning
Travel disruptions and sickness are common on remote swings. Build flexibility into rosters to cover absences without pushing crews into excessive overtime or unsafe fatigue.
- Relief pool: Maintain a pool of ticketed relief workers to cover flight delays and unplanned absences
- Fatigue limits: Enforce consecutive-day and cumulative-hour limits before offering extra shifts
- Communication systems: Use instant notifications to fill open shifts and inform crews of changes quickly
Free mining rostering calculators
Essential calculators to help you manage mining staff costs, penalties, compliance, and operational labour budgets.
Payroll cost calculator
FEATUREDCalculate total mining staff costs including super, penalty rates, shift loadings, and the underground allowance for accurate site budget planning.
Shift cost calculator
Estimate individual shift costs including penalties, overtime, and site-specific loadings across a FIFO swing.
Labour cost percentage
Track labour costs as a percentage of production value to protect mining operation margins.
Penalty rate calculator
Calculate weekend, public holiday, and shift work penalty costs for accurate mining payroll.
Break compliance checker
Ensure breaks comply with award requirements for continuous and non-continuous shiftworkers.
Roster cost forecast
Project labour costs for upcoming swings and identify budget risks early.
View all 16 free rostering and payroll calculators including award misclassification, underpayment risk, and backpay exposure estimators.
Mining rostering software
How specialized rostering software simplifies mining workforce management, swing planning, and award compliance.
Automatic award interpretation & compliance
Built-in Mining Award interpretation applies shift loadings, weekend and public-holiday penalties, the underground allowance, and the correct overtime treatment for continuous and non-continuous shiftworkers.
Ticket & competency tracking
Track tickets, competencies, inductions, and medical clearances with expiry reminders. Roster warnings prevent assigning workers to shifts without current credentials.
Continuous & FIFO swing rostering
Plan back-to-back and even-time swings from one platform, track hours by crew, and see which lines are over or under staffed at a glance.
Accurate time capture & labour costing
Capture accurate clock-ins across shifts and see real-time wage costs including all penalty rates, loadings, and the underground allowance before you publish the roster.
Trusted by Australian resources businesses
RosterElf helps mining, exploration, and resources operators manage complex continuous and FIFO rosters with support for Mining Award compliance. Join 30,000+ Australian businesses rostering smarter.
Right to disconnect (New from August 2025)
From 26 August 2025, employees of small business employers have the right to disconnect - meaning they can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to contact from their employer outside of working hours unless the refusal is unreasonable. This applies to mining workers and should be considered when planning after-hours contact or on-call arrangements between swings.
Regulatory sources & compliance
This guide is aligned with official Australian mining workplace regulations and safety standards.
Streamline mining rostering
RosterElf helps mining and resources businesses manage continuous and FIFO crews, track tickets and competencies, and support your compliance efforts with the Mining Award. Built for Australian businesses.
How RosterElf helps with mining crew rostering
Purpose-built tools to make mining crew rostering faster, easier, and compliant for Australian businesses.
Related guides & resources
Learn more about mining rostering and workforce compliance.
Mining award rates guide
Current MA000011 pay rates, loadings, and allowances.
Calculate overtime costs
Work out overtime and penalty costs accurately.
Roster construction staff
RDO management, shift loadings, and FIFO for construction.
Find the right award
Confirm which modern award covers your staff.
Common roles in mining
Download free job description templates for your mining team
Simplify your rostering today
Join thousands of Australian businesses using RosterElf to create compliant rosters, apply award interpretation, and manage continuous and FIFO swings. Built for Australian businesses.
Frequently asked questions
- Most metalliferous mining, exploration and on-site processing employees are covered by the Mining Industry Award 2020 (MA000011). Black coal mining is covered by a separate award (the Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2010, MA000001), and quarrying and oil & gas extraction are excluded from the Mining Award. Always confirm coverage before rostering — use our guide to finding the right award.
- Professional roles such as geologists and mining engineers are generally award-free, meaning their pay and conditions are set by contract rather than the Mining Industry Award. Operational and trade roles on site are typically covered by MA000011. If you are unsure whether a role sits inside or outside the award, check the classification descriptors or review whether an enterprise agreement applies.