From London classrooms to outback mines: Archie’s journey into health and safety at Mount Isa

Meet Archie, a Health and Safety Graduate at Mount Isa Mines in Northwest Queensland, whose journey into mining safety began thousands of kilometres away in London, England.

In March 2020, as the world ground to a halt during the pandemic, Archie boarded the very last flight out of Heathrow before international travel was suspended. "Some would say it was fate that I made it to Australia," he reflects, a sentiment that has only grown stronger with time.

While this is his first formal role in health and safety, Archie’s interest in people’s wellbeing has been a cornerstone of his working life. He began his career as a primary school teacher in London and went on to work across various sectors of education, including secondary, special education, and distance learning.

"I really enjoyed my time in education, forming lasting friendships and helping to shape the lives of young learners," he says.

After 12 years in the classroom, Archie began searching for a new challenge, something hands-on, people-focused and with real-world impact. Conversations with friends working in Australian mining piqued his interest, and soon enough, he applied for the Glencore Health and Safety Graduate Program at Mount Isa Mines.

Stepping into the Unknown

Starting out in the mining industry with no prior experience was daunting. "It was a steep learning curve," Archie admits. "But I quickly leaned on the interpersonal and organisational skills I’d built over my teaching career to bridge the gap." He made a point of connecting with both management and frontline workers across plant areas, building a trusted network of colleagues and mentors. As he immersed himself in the site's safety regulations and procedures, he also began contributing to meaningful safety initiatives.

One standout project was a full-face respirator trial at the Lead Smelter, a critical operation given the high levels of airborne contaminants involved in lead processing. Archie led the trial from start to finish, regularly engaging with participants to gather feedback. "It was rewarding to see it progress to the point of establishing a site-wide stock code, knowing that we’re improving safety at a practical level."

Breaking the Silence on Mental Health

But it wasn’t just physical safety that caught Archie’s attention. While on placement at the Lead Smelter, he noticed mental health was a topic rarely discussed and often brushed aside.

Motivated by his own experiences and concern for the wellbeing of the workforce, Archie created a mental health presentation inspired by the R U OK? initiative. He delivered it across teams in operations, maintenance and projects, sparking important conversations and creating ripple effects beyond his own department.

"The response was overwhelmingly positive. Other teams started requesting the presentation too, which showed just how needed it was."

This mental health initiative remains one of Archie’s proudest contributions. "It’s something very close to my heart. My goal is to raise awareness across the lease and empower people to seek help when they need it."

A New Chapter, A New Home

Now entering his second year as a Graduate Safety Advisor, Archie feels right at home, both professionally and personally. He’s confidently leading incident investigations, conducting fit tests for respiratory protection and advising workers across the site in line with legislation and governance.

With his family now joining him in Mount Isa from the Gold Coast, Archie reflects on how far he’s come: "I feel like I’ve truly found my place, in a career that challenges me, in a team that supports me, and in a community, I now call home."