A former FIFO worker has revealed how the industry ruined her mental health before a major car accident ended up changing her life for the better.
Brooke McIntosh was just 22 when she followed in her mother’s footsteps into the FIFO industry and became a sales assistant in the mines of Western Australia.
For the next seven years she was hired to drive trucks and help build mining sites.
Although she enjoyed the high salary and the workplace banter, Ms. McIntosh was beginning to feel exhausted by the constant sexist comments and long working hours.
She began to have suicidal thoughts, especially as she tried to cope with the isolation following the loss of a close friend.
Ms McIntosh said she was lucky to have had time to think about her future while in hospital recovering from a car accident.
“I thought ‘why am I wasting my life working in an environment I don’t really enjoy, when I could be doing something more impactful?'” she told Daily Mail Australia.
The business coach and mentor, now 28, is calling on Australians to help her run a 14,000km loop around Australia to help raise funds for mental health support.
Brooke McIntosh (pictured), a former FIFO worker turned long-distance runner, has revealed how the mining industry brought her to her lowest point.
Ms McIntosh (left) spent seven years in the industry with her mother before the sexist culture there and gruelling hours led her to contemplate suicide.
Ms McIntosh said rampant sexism in the industry was one of the main reasons behind her decision to leave.
“There were one or two guys who took things to the next level and made you feel uncomfortable,” he said.
‘They would make super inappropriate comments or sexist comments, they would degrade you and belittle you.’
She recalled a co-worker whistling at her after being asked to back up a truck, yelling, “I’d like to see what else you can put in reverse.”
“What’s the point of that? Putting sex into things that don’t have to be that way in any way,” McIntosh said.
“I’m all for jokes and pranks, but when it comes to derogatory or sexual comments, I don’t accept them.”
She added that the sexist comments made her feel like a “piece of meat” and that she was afraid to report the behavior because she was one of the few women in the room.
“It’s a male-dominated workplace, so if you can’t handle it, don’t get in it. And if you’re in it, just accept it,” she said.
She decided to leave the industry and undertake massive multi-day races to raise money for mental health after a serious car accident left her questioning her future in hospital (pictured)
Having enjoyed running since she was 12, the long hours on site made it “unsustainable” for her to continue training, which always helped her mental health.
“My lifestyle at the time was to wake up in the morning at three, go to the gym for an hour and a half, get ready for work, go to work for 13 hours, come home, train again and then do it all again,” he said.
‘I felt isolated, alone. I was going through a lot.
‘One of my friends had taken his own life… and when I came home, I was sad, I couldn’t find a light and I was thinking about taking my own life.’
Despite being at her “lowest ebb”, Ms McIntosh received a wake-up call in the form of a major car accident involving a truck travelling at 100km/h while she was off-site.
“It was when I was in the hospital bed that I realized I didn’t want to leave Earth, I just wanted the pain to end,” she said.
This realisation led Ms McIntosh to leave the FIFO system to become a freelance business coach and commit to running more than 1,600km from the Pilbara to Perth in July last year to raise $75,000 for The Blue Tree Project and 20Talk.
Ms McIntosh now plans to run about 80km a day for about 180 days to complete a full lap around Australia in a bid to raise a whopping $1.4 million for charity.
Ms McIntosh said she chose the route to help raise awareness for her male FIFO colleagues in the Pilbara who were also struggling with their mental health.
“It was the best challenge of my life. It was difficult, but it was the best thing I ever did,” he said.
After crossing the finish line in Perth and completing a marathon the following week, Ms McIntosh had already started making plans for her next race.
“Why am I stopping now? I’m very happy, I live with a purpose, I’m making an impact, inspiring and saving people’s lives,” she said.
With the help of his running coach, he is now preparing to run about 80 kilometres a day for about 180 days starting in March to complete a lap around the country.
The event, Just one morehopes to raise a record $1.4 million for the Blue Tree Project.
Despite now living a “purposeful” life, Ms McIntosh said there are still days when she misses FIFO work, especially when driving a truck.
“Personally, I encourage everyone to try the FIFO method, even women,” she said.
“But I also prepare them for what it’s really like, which is having to have thick skin, stand up for yourself and say stupid things.”
Lifeline 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
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