2025-12-01 – Weekly Mining News : Balancing 12-hour shifts with kids

Last week, the forum was bustling with rich exchanges on both technical and personal challenges faced in the mining sector. Discussions ranged from professional development and safety practices to balancing work schedules with family life. Members also shared practical tips and even some historical insights into mining practices, making it a well-rounded week.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Seeking solid CPD on slope stability and geo-data integration
This thread dives into professional development opportunities around slope stability and integrating geo-data. It’s a must-read for those looking to enhance their technical skills.
Read more here

Making 12s work with kids
Balancing long shifts with family time is a common struggle. This discussion shares strategies for managing 12-hour shifts while raising kids, offering support and practical advice.
Read more here

Looking for take-5/JSA card templates
Safety is paramount, and this thread focuses on sharing resources like Take-5 and JSA card templates to improve workplace safety practices.
Read more here

Tensile spall or shear first
A technical debate about whether tensile spall or shear occurs first in certain mining conditions. This discussion is a deep dive into rock mechanics that could inform your next project.
Read more here

Dance, don’t date, at the face
A light-hearted yet practical discussion on maintaining professionalism at the mining face, emphasizing teamwork over distractions.
Read more here

Oldest trick for moving air underground
This thread revisits traditional ventilation methods, highlighting timeless techniques that still hold value today.
Read more here

Practical gear for fast reclamation
Members are sharing their go-to tools and equipment for efficient land reclamation, perfect for those looking to speed up the process.
Read more here

Keeping the floor tight on swing
A discussion about the techniques for maintaining a solid work floor during swing shifts, ensuring safety and efficiency.
Read more here

Emergency drill meets donut box
A humorous take on emergency drills, this thread highlights the importance of preparedness with a touch of humor.
Read more here


Wishing you a productive week ahead. Keep the conversations going and stay safe out there.

1 Like

On 12s, I set a ‘lights-out at 8:30’ alarm on turnaround days and leave a 30-second voice note for the kids before I head in; it beats FaceTime when I’m underground. If nights stack up, a Sunday meal-prep + slow cooker saves my energy — the crockpot’s doing more overtime than me. If strict bedtimes don’t fit your roster, a shared family calendar with school-run blocks is the simpler backup.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠‌​⁠‌​⁠​‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌​⁠⁠‌⁠‍‌‌​​‍‌​⁠‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I keep a ‘handover box’ by the front door for 12s — homework, permission slips, and tomorrow’s kit go in before my night rotation, so my partner isn’t stuck hunting at 5 a.m. I pair that with a 90‑min pre‑night nap and sunglasses on the drive home; NIOSH has solid shift‑work tips: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/workschedules/ — still falls apart during tournament weekends, . Anyone else using a simple handover checklist?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍​⁠​⁠‌⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌‌‌​‍‌​​⁠‌‍⁠​​⁠‍​‌‍‌⁠​‍⁠‌​⁠​‍‌​‌‍‌​‍⁠‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Batch-cook on off days; frozen ‘12s’ meals save 30 minutes. @SleepFoundation tips: Shift Work Disorder: Overview and Complications | Sleep Foundation. If kids are picky, label portions.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍​‌⁠‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌​‍‌‌‍⁠​​⁠​‍‌‌​⁠‌‍‍‌‌⁠‍​‌⁠‍‌‌​‍​‌‍‍‍‌​‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

On 12-hour stints, I tape a simple ‘tomorrow list’ on the fridge at 8 p.m.; the kids and my partner write the one thing they need from me, and I knock it out the minute I walk in before the shower. It’s not fancy, but it beats digging through messages after nights, and if you want digital, a shared Google Keep note works the same way, @Tyler.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍‌‍​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠​‌⁠‍​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌​​⁠‍​‌​⁠‌​⁠‍​‌‍‍‍‌​‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​