Quick answer: Fencers are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #67 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 52.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Fencers 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 demands36.3 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden77.4 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands57.9 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control15.9 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony69 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment56.1 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for fencers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, fencers score furthest above the norm on physical environment (56.1 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (77.4 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (57.9 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is responsible for others' health and safety at 94/100 — against an all-occupation average of 57.3.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (15.9 vs 24.5) and emotional demands (36.3 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 fencers
- 1Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
94/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
- 2Responsibility burden
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
88.5/100
All-occupation average: 58.5
- 3Pace and demands
Time Pressure
88/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 4Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
83.5/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 5Responsibility burden
Consequence of Error
77.8/100
All-occupation average: 49
All 22 stress factors for fencers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
36.3 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People21.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People31.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations55.5 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
77.4 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results88.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety94 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results58 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error77.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others68.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
57.9 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure88 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week55.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment33.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making43.5 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition68.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
15.9 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions19.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work12.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
69 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks61.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate76.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
56.1 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable83.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting45.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures69.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections9 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity73.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for fencers 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.
- 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
Fencers: how stressful is the job?
Fencers rank #67 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 52.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 78.9% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for fencers?
The highest-scoring hazards are responsible for others' health and safety (94/100), responsibility for outcomes and results (88.5/100) and time pressure (88/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for fencers?
Fencers score below the national average for emotional demands (36.3 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (15.9 vs 24.5 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 fencers. 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.