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“I've got a driller starting Monday. His DAS expired last week. Now he's missing his first swing and we're short on site.”

— Perth mining supplier, $22M revenue, 85 workers

FIFO Mobilisation Automation: From 2 Hours to 10 Minutes Per Worker

4 min readROI: $97K-$109K/year

The Problem

This happens every month for Perth mining suppliers managing 50-150 workers across multiple rosters:

  • 2 hours per mobilisation: checking compliance, booking flights, coordinating with camps
  • Workers rejected at site gates for expired medicals or lapsed inductions
  • New starters miss their first swing because someone forgot to book their mining induction
  • Last-minute flight bookings cost 30-50% more than planned swings
  • No single view of who has what expiring when

One missed DAS = one worker grounded = one site short-staffed.

What Automation Actually Looks Like

Worker Database with Compliance Dashboard

Every worker's DAS, PEM, White Card, site inductions, and tickets in one place. Colour-coded: green (valid), amber (expiring in 30 days), red (expired). Know instantly who can fly and who can't.

14 WA Mining Routes

Book FIFO flights to Newman, Tom Price, Port Hedland, Kalgoorlie, Paraburdoo, Karratha, Onslow, Cloudbreak, Solomon Hub, Roy Hill, Leinster, Wodgina, Mt Keith, and Gruyere. Select worker, select site, see compliance requirements, book flight.

Smart Roster Patterns

7/7, 8/6, 14/14, 2/1, 4/3, 5/2, 9/5. Pick a departure date and roster pattern — return date calculates automatically. No more manual date counting.

21-Item New Starter Checklist

Documents, medical, training, equipment, IT — all tracked per new starter. No one misses their first swing because someone forgot a step.

ROI for a 100-Worker Supplier

Time savings

2 hours → 10 minutes per mobilisation = $15,000-$20,000/year in admin labour

Gate rejection prevention

1 gate rejection prevented per quarter × $18,500 = $74,000/year in protected revenue

Flight cost savings

Book 2+ weeks ahead vs last-minute = $8,000-$15,000/year

Total: $97,000-$109,000/year for FIFO automation alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to mobilise a new worker to a WA mine site?

Without automation, mobilising a single worker takes approximately 2 hours — checking compliance, booking flights, arranging camp accommodation, and confirming inductions. DrilLedger's FIFO Mobilisation Agent reduces this to under 10 minutes.

What causes gate rejections at WA mine sites?

Gate rejections happen when a worker arrives at site with expired credentials — mining inductions, PEMs, DAS clearances, or client-specific tickets. Perth mining suppliers report 4 gate rejections per year, each costing $18,500 ($3,500 flight home plus $15,000 in lost day rate).

What roster patterns does the FIFO Mobilisation Agent support?

All common WA mining roster patterns: 8/6, 7/7, 14/14, 2/1, 4/3, 5/2, 9/5, and custom swings. Return dates calculate automatically from departure date and roster pattern.

Take the Mining Admin Scorecard to see where your operation stacks up