Quick answer: Library Assistants are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #229 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 43.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are precision and monotony and lack of control.
Library Assistants 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 demands38.7 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden43.2 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands44 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control26.2 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony73.4 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment38 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for library assistants
Compared with the average Australian occupation, library assistants score furthest above the norm on precision and monotony (73.4 vs 67.7 average), lack of control (26.2 vs 24.5 average) and emotional demands (38.7 vs 37.9 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is importance of being exact or accurate at 79.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 78.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for responsibility burden (43.2 vs 60), pace and demands (44 vs 56) and physical environment (38 vs 38.2), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for library assistants
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
79.2/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
72.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 3Physical environment
Physical Proximity
72.5/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
67.5/100
All-occupation average: 56.9
- 5Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
62.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
All 22 stress factors for library assistants
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
38.7 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People9.2 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People53.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations53 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
43.2 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results42 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety41.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results62.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error13.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others57 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
44 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure59.5 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week40 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment12.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making72.5 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition36 vs 52.4
Lack of control
26.2 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions27.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work25 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
73.4 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks67.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate79.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
38 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable51.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting25 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures7.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections33.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity72.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for library assistants map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
- 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.
- 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
Library Assistants: how stressful is the job?
Library Assistants rank #229 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 43.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 27.8% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for library assistants?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (79.2/100), frequency of decision making (72.5/100) and physical proximity (72.5/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, lack of control and precision and monotony.
Which stress factors are lower for library assistants?
Library Assistants score below the national average for responsibility burden (43.2 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (44 vs 56 average) and physical environment (38 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 library assistants. 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.