DCHP-3

FIFO

[fly in, fly out]
DCHP-3 (Apr 2023)
A variant is DIDO: drive in, drive out.
expression — Mining, Acronym

an acronym for the labour model known as fly-in/fly-out.

Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Although the term FIFO is also part of the mainstream American lexicon, it has taken on cultural significance in Canada, whose economy relies heavily on the mining industry, both within and outside of Canadian national borders. Some communities in Canada are sustained by FIFO.

Quotations

2013
A key finding from that study was that FIFO workers need personal space and opportunities for private communication with family and friends in order to maximize their sense of well-being while at work. Private rooms and good internet connections were sought-after facilities at work camps.
2021
"There is a problem and it is unknown-kept very quiet," he said in an email. "This is a critical study and the mental health for FIFO (mental health in general) needs to be elevated. Dorow hopes the report will lead to more research on the mental health issues among oilsands commuters, which she said is lacking in Canada. This kind of research among workers in Australia's mining industry "is light years ahead of anything we've done," she said.
2022
Unlike mining towns that sprouted up throughout the north in the 20th century, diamond mines are organized through a fly-in/fly-out (FIFO) structure. This means that workers fly in for prolonged mining shifts, and fly out for their time off. FIFO, or DIDO (drive-in/drive-out), has become the preferred extractive model in Canada and elsewhere. By making long-distance commutes part of everyday operations, the FIFO/DIDO model is an intensified expression of the home/work divide, where home is gendered as feminine space and work as masculine space.

References