Quick answer: Chemical, Gas, Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #38 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 54.2/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Chemical, Gas, Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands28.9 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden72.5 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands58.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control26.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony76.9 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment61.8 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators
Compared with the average Australian occupation, chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators score furthest above the norm on physical environment (61.8 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (72.5 vs 60 average) and precision and monotony (76.9 vs 67.7 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable at 97.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 52.3.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (28.9 vs 37.9), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators
- 1Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
97.2/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 2Responsibility burden
Consequence of Error
88/100
All-occupation average: 49
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
85.2/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Physical environment
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
84/100
All-occupation average: 32.4
- 5Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
83.5/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
All 22 stress factors for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
28.9 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People6.2 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People32 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations48.5 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
72.5 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results54.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety83.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results72 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error88 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others64.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
58.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure61.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week70 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment46.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making75.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition38.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
26.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions18.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work34.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
76.9 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks68.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate85.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
61.8 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable97.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting70.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures84 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections6 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity50.8 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- Role Clarity →Whether workers clearly understand what is expected of them.
- Leadership →The quality and consistency of management behaviour at all levels.
- Schedule and Hours →The arrangement of working time and its effect on health and recovery.
- Autonomy →The degree of control workers have over how they do their work.
- Learning and Stimulation →Whether work offers enough challenge, variety, and opportunity for growth.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Chemical, Gas, Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators: how stressful is the job?
Chemical, Gas, Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators rank #38 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 54.2/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 88.0% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators?
The highest-scoring hazards are sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (97.2/100), consequence of error (88/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (85.2/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators?
Chemical, Gas, Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators score below the national average for emotional demands (28.9 vs 37.9 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for chemical, gas, petroleum and power generation plant operators. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.