Quick answer: Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #116 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 50.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Airconditioning and Refrigeration 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 demands25.8 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden71.5 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands59.1 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control17.9 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony70.5 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment55.8 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics
Compared with the average Australian occupation, airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics score furthest above the norm on physical environment (55.8 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (71.5 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (59.1 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 83.8/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (25.8 vs 37.9) and lack of control (17.9 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 airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
83.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
80.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
78.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Physical environment
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
73.8/100
All-occupation average: 32.4
- 5Responsibility burden
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
72.8/100
All-occupation average: 58.5
All 22 stress factors for airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
25.8 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People7 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People37.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations32.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
71.5 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results72.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety72 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results80.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error65.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others67 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
59.1 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure70 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week62 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment28 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making83.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition52 vs 52.4
Lack of control
17.9 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions17.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work18.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
70.5 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks62.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate78.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
55.8 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable64.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting59 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures73.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections18.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity63.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for airconditioning and refrigeration 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:
- 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
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: how stressful is the job?
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics rank #116 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 50.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 63.4% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (83.8/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (80.5/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (78.8/100). 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 airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics?
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics score below the national average for emotional demands (25.8 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (17.9 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 airconditioning and refrigeration 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.