Mine site Industrial Cleaning jobs with Spotless Bowen Basin

Cleaning jobs in the mines were once the most highly sought-after jobs when mining was at its peak. Even though the number of mining projects has softened off over the past 12 months, there are�still many mines operating at full capacity.

“high volume staff turn-around”

High levels of productivity mean high volume staff turn-arounds and a lot more machinery and facilities to clean on a more regular basis.

So what types of cleaning jobs are there� in Australian mines?

For many people looking to get into the mines, one of the easiest pathways was to get a job as a cleaner of some sort. These roles were typically in high demand and jobs were relatively easy to come by owing to the busy mining operations in Western Australia and Queensland’s Bowen Basin.

Cleaners performed a number of very important tasks in their role. Remote mine sites that employed a high-volume of FIFO workers were the best places to find cleaning jobs. With hundreds of miners�travelling to and from remote mining camps on a regular basis, there was always going to be enough work to keep an army of cleaners and housekeeping specialists on-the-go 24 hours a day.

The need for cleaners and housekeeping staff is still high

Although the need for cleaners and housekeeping staff is still high, there are other cleaning jobs that require a little bit more experience�than that of a domestic cleaner.

Industrial cleaner jobs seem to be advertised more often, especially in mining operations, because as more and more focus is placed on increasing productivity, the need for more frequent maintenance is evident.

“thorough maintenance to be performed”

Mining equipment like crushers, conveyors and even complete CHPP plants need to be shut down to allow thorough maintenance to be performed – and more often than not, this means a complete strip-down and clean.

Cleaners in the mines are now required to perform many different types of cleaning jobs, so it pays to be prepared to have a go at anything. Often, training in the use of high-pressure cleaning equipment is sought by employers because of the safety risks involved. When you think of it, there are many safety precautions to consider when using high-pressure cleaning devices on a mine site.

“be prepared to have a go at anything”

There’s the use of water around electrical installations, the proper use of electric cables, personal protective clothing, eye guards and even the use of fall protection equipment.

Don’t be surprised if a cleaning job requires the applicant to have a current qualification in Confined Spaces or Working at Heights.

These special mining-related courses are designed to teach students the safe way to set-up work in these environments.

As an example of what can be expected from a cleaning job in the mines, we’ve highlighted a job that was recently posted by Spotless.

Spotless are an integrated facility management services company with a staff of more than 33,000. They are employed by big Australian mining and private companies all over the country.

The job

This full time role is with Anglo American Coal, located in the Bowen Basin region. Reporting to the Industrial Cleaning Supervisor and/or Mine Site Service Manager, the primary job role is that of an Industrial Cleaner. The successful applicant will be expected to clean all mine site areas.

Some of the job task are:

Spray buffing as required by operations
Performing those tasks customarily performed by cleaners utilising a range of materials and equipment,
Collect and segregate where required all types of waste from rooms within the work area or where directed or required, remove to disposal area in accordance with waste disposal guidelines

So you can see, the job of an Industrial Cleaner requires someone who is not only physically fit, but someone who also has the ability to adapt to any situation.

Skills and experience

As this job is located in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, there is a requirement by law for the successful applicant to hold a current Standard 11. The Standard 11 is a Queensland government initiative that was introduced many years ago to improve the safety of all mine workers in the state.

No one can work on a Queensland mine site or quarrying works without holding a valid Standard 11. Obtaining a Standard 11 means completing a 2 day mining induction course. Locations can vary, however Sydney, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne and Brisbane are the most popular�areas to attend a Standard 11 training course.

There is also a requirement for the applicants�of this job�to hold a current Coal Board Medical certificate as proof of fitness for work. Coal Board Medicals can be arranged for you by your local GP or by searching for a Coal Board Medical specialist on Google.

Applying for an Industrial Cleaning job at Spotless

As with any mining job, being successful in your application depends on many factors.

Yes . . . experience and qualifications count, however where many applicants fail is at the initial application stage . . . and this is a very important point to remember, so listen up!

At iMINCO we see hundreds of resumes every month, sent to us from people who seem to never get any replies when they apply for mining jobs.

The reason is mostly that their resumes are old-school, the formatting is incorrect, the details are out-of-date, there’s too much irrelevant information and most importantly, there are no keywords in the resume.

Keywords in resumes

Back in the ‘old days’, we used to print out a resume and send it in via ‘snail mail’ and it would reach the eyes of a human 100% of the time. These days, a high percentage of resumes (some people say between 60 and 75%) never even reach the desk of a human. They fall foul�of the dreaded ‘resume scanning software filters’.

Resume scanning has been the preferred choice of recruitment companies to filter out those resumes that don’t meet the job criteria. The software scans the digital resume (usually in Word format) for keywords that match the words used in the job ad.

Find our more about how to beat the resume scanners by clicking these links: Help me write a good resume | Are resume scanners blocking your job applications? | The trick to successful job interviews

Are you a recreational drug user?

With all mine sites, there is�zero tolerance for workers who come to work under the influence of drugs and of excessive use of alcohol. Drug and alcohol tests are commonplace and Spotless have made this quite clear in their ad, so make sure you’re don’t set off the drug scanning software. If the red light goes on (we’ve all seen those airport border protection TV shows right?) . . .�you’d better be prepared for some bad news.

Finally, are you prepared to meet the challenges?

The last note we’ll leave you on is this; are you prepared to meet the challenges of working on remote mine sites? Unlike working a job in the city or metropolitan areas, mine sites can be isolated, have few faclilties�and are prone to harsh weather conditions, from searing heat to cold and wind-swept.

One of the questions asked at an interview may be to give examples of how you have managed working in difficult conditions in the past.

All in all, when you are looking for an opportunity to get into the mining industry, cleaning jobs are often the first place to look. As they say, it’s not what you know, but who you know – and whilst that’s certainly true, there is another saying that bears a lot of weight too.

“a cleaning job is a good way to get a start in the mines”

Get a foot in the door

If you consider a cleaning job as a way to get� a start in the mines, then once you’re in, you’re in. It’s then up to you to show your supervisors and managers that you are a safe and reliable worker who is willing to give anything a go. It’s not uncommon to go from cleaner to haul truck driver in a few short months.

Stay up-to-date with mining news in Australia by subscribing to iMINCO Project News. Over the next few months, we’ll be featuring more articles like this one to show you how to go about applying and how to prepare for interviews. Project News is free for subscribers – there’s no charge at all. Give it a go . . . �you can always stop�it arriving in your in-box by clicking�the unsubscribe link in the email.

Knowledge is power – go on, give it a try!