Quick answer: Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators are one of the most stress-exposed occupations in Australia — ranked #16 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 57.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine 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 demands36.4 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden76 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands63.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control34.9 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony71.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment63.5 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators
Compared with the average Australian occupation, clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators score furthest above the norm on physical environment (63.5 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (76 vs 60 average) and lack of control (34.9 vs 24.5 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is duration of typical work week at 92/100 — against an all-occupation average of 62.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (36.4 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 clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators
- 1Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
92/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 2Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
91.2/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
83/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Responsibility burden
Consequence of Error
82.5/100
All-occupation average: 49
- 5Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
79.2/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
All 22 stress factors for clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
36.4 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People12.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People44.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations52.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
76 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results69.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety79.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results75 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error82.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others74 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
63.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure60.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week92 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment46.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making83 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition35.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
34.9 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions29 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work40.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
71.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks67 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate76.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
63.5 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable91.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting70.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures78.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections15 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity63 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine 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
Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators: how stressful is the job?
Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators rank #16 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 57.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 95.0% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators?
The highest-scoring hazards are duration of typical work week (92/100), sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (91.2/100) and frequency of decision making (83/100). 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 clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine operators?
Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators score below the national average for emotional demands (36.4 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 clay, concrete, glass and stone processing machine 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.