Quick answer: Motor Mechanics are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #76 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 51.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and pace and demands.
Motor Mechanics 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 demands40.1 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden60 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands65.8 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control18.4 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony74.1 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment51.5 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for motor mechanics
Compared with the average Australian occupation, motor mechanics score furthest above the norm on physical environment (51.5 vs 38.2 average), pace and demands (65.8 vs 56 average) and precision and monotony (74.1 vs 67.7 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 90.8/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (18.4 vs 24.5), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for motor mechanics
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
90.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
89.5/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
87.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Pace and demands
Time Pressure
87/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 5Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
82.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
All 22 stress factors for motor mechanics
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
40.1 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People12.5 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People55.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations52.5 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
60 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results45.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety52.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results82.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error63.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others56.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
65.8 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure87 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week75.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment20.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making90.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition55.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
18.4 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions16.8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work20 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
74.1 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks60.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate87.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
51.5 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable89.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting46.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures65.5 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections4.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity51.8 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for motor mechanics 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.
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- 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.
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
Motor Mechanics: how stressful is the job?
Motor Mechanics rank #76 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 51.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 76.0% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for motor mechanics?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (90.8/100), sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (89.5/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (87.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for motor mechanics?
Motor Mechanics score below the national average for lack of control (18.4 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 motor mechanics. 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.