Quick answer: Chiropractors and Osteopaths are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #189 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 45.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are precision and monotony and responsibility burden.
Chiropractors and Osteopaths 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 demands31.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden70.1 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands52.3 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control1 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony87.4 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment31.6 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for chiropractors and osteopaths
Compared with the average Australian occupation, chiropractors and osteopaths score furthest above the norm on precision and monotony (87.4 vs 67.7 average) and responsibility burden (70.1 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is physical proximity at 96/100 — against an all-occupation average of 61.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (1 vs 24.5), physical environment (31.6 vs 38.2) and emotional demands (31.6 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 chiropractors and osteopaths
- 1Physical environment
Physical Proximity
96/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 2Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
93.2/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 3Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
89.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 4Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
88.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 5Precision and monotony
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
81.5/100
All-occupation average: 56.9
All 22 stress factors for chiropractors and osteopaths
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
31.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People2.5 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People42.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations49.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
70.1 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results72.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety62.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results89.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error66.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others59.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
52.3 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure64.5 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week50 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment3.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making88.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition55 vs 52.4
Lack of control
1 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions1 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work1 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
87.4 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks81.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate93.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
31.6 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable5.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting1.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures1.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections53.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity96 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for chiropractors and osteopaths 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.
- Learning and Stimulation →Whether work offers enough challenge, variety, and opportunity for growth.
- Work Monitoring →How worker performance is measured, observed, and reported.
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
Chiropractors and Osteopaths: how stressful is the job?
Chiropractors and Osteopaths rank #189 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 45.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 40.4% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for chiropractors and osteopaths?
The highest-scoring hazards are physical proximity (96/100), importance of being exact or accurate (93.2/100) and impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (89.5/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden and precision and monotony.
Which stress factors are lower for chiropractors and osteopaths?
Chiropractors and Osteopaths score below the national average for emotional demands (31.6 vs 37.9 average) and pace and demands (52.3 vs 56 average) and lack of control (1 vs 24.5 average) and physical environment (31.6 vs 38.2 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 chiropractors and osteopaths. 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.