Quick answer: Panelbeaters are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #165 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 47/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are pace and demands and physical environment.
Panelbeaters 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 demands23.8 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden58.2 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands69.3 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control23.8 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony65.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment41.1 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for panelbeaters
Compared with the average Australian occupation, panelbeaters score furthest above the norm on pace and demands (69.3 vs 56 average) and physical environment (41.1 vs 38.2 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is time pressure at 88.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 71.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (23.8 vs 37.9), precision and monotony (65.8 vs 67.7) and responsibility burden (58.2 vs 60), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for panelbeaters
- 1Pace and demands
Time Pressure
88.2/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 2Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
86.5/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
84.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
83/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 5Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
74.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
All 22 stress factors for panelbeaters
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
23.8 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People3 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People26.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations41.5 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
58.2 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results51.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety65.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results71.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error59.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others42.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
69.3 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure88.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week83 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment31.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making74.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition69.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
23.8 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions21.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work26 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
65.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks46.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate84.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
41.1 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable86.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting31.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures41.5 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections0 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity46 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for panelbeaters 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.
- Schedule and Hours →The arrangement of working time and its effect on health and recovery.
- Physical Environment →How the physical conditions of work affect psychological wellbeing.
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
Panelbeaters: how stressful is the job?
Panelbeaters rank #165 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 47/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 47.9% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for panelbeaters?
The highest-scoring hazards are time pressure (88.2/100), sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (86.5/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (84.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in pace and demands and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for panelbeaters?
Panelbeaters score below the national average for emotional demands (23.8 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (58.2 vs 60 average) and lack of control (23.8 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (65.8 vs 67.7 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 panelbeaters. 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.