Quick answer: Other Stationary Plant Operators are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #42 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 53.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Other Stationary Plant 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 demands37.1 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden70.3 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands57.9 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control23 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony69.6 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment65.3 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for other stationary plant operators
Compared with the average Australian occupation, other stationary plant operators score furthest above the norm on physical environment (65.3 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (70.3 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (57.9 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable at 97.8/100 — against an all-occupation average of 52.3.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (23 vs 24.5) and emotional demands (37.1 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 other stationary plant operators
- 1Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
97.8/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 2Physical environment
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
86.8/100
All-occupation average: 32.4
- 3Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
79.8/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
- 4Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
76.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 5Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
74/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
All 22 stress factors for other stationary plant operators
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
37.1 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People12.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People43.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations55.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
70.3 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results56 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety79.8 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results74 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error70.2 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others71.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
57.9 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure57 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week57.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment50.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making76.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition47.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
23 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions20.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work25.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
69.6 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks68.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate70.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
65.3 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable97.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting56.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures86.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections25.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity60.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for other stationary plant 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.
- 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
Other Stationary Plant Operators: how stressful is the job?
Other Stationary Plant Operators rank #42 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 53.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 86.8% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for other stationary plant operators?
The highest-scoring hazards are sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (97.8/100), very hot or cold temperatures (86.8/100) and responsible for others' health and safety (79.8/100). 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 other stationary plant operators?
Other Stationary Plant Operators score below the national average for emotional demands (37.1 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (23 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 other stationary plant 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.