Quick answer: Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #100 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 50.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and pace and demands.
Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers 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 demandsbelow average30.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burdenbelow average55.9 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands66 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control72.4 vs 75.5 avg
- Precision and monotony70.1 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment53.4 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing (lack of control is shown on an inverted scale — see methodology). Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for plastics and rubber factory workers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, plastics and rubber factory workers score furthest above the norm on physical environment (53.4 vs 38.2 average), pace and demands (66 vs 56 average) and precision and monotony (70.1 vs 67.7 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is duration of typical work week at 82/100 — against an all-occupation average of 62.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (30.6 vs 37.9) and responsibility burden (55.9 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 plastics and rubber factory workers
- 1Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
82/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 2Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
80.5/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
78.5/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Pace and demands
Time Pressure
74/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 5Pace and demands
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
73.2/100
All-occupation average: 23.1
All 22 stress factors for plastics and rubber factory workers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
30.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People7 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People45.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations39.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
55.9 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results53.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety68.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results52.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error56 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others48.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
66 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure74 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week82 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment73.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making47 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition54 vs 52.4
Lack of control
72.4 vs 75.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions73.5 vs 76.4
- Amount of Highly Structured Work71.2 vs 74.7
Precision and monotony
70.1 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks61.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate78.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
53.4 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable80.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting45 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures70.5 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections2.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity68.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for plastics and rubber factory workers 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.
- 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.
- 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.
The two control-related variables are derived from SafeWork's “freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”. Control scores are displayed on an inverted scale relative to the other five categories: the composite stress score incorporates 100 minus the displayed control values.
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
Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers: how stressful is the job?
Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers rank #100 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 50.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 68.5% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for plastics and rubber factory workers?
The highest-scoring hazards are duration of typical work week (82/100), sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (80.5/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (78.5/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for plastics and rubber factory workers?
Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers score below the national average for emotional demands (30.6 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (55.9 vs 60 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 plastics and rubber factory workers. 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.