Quick answer: Butchers and Smallgoods Makers are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #41 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 responsibility burden and lack of control.
Butchers and Smallgoods Makers 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 demands44.2 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden73.5 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands59.1 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control36.1 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony61.5 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment49.2 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for butchers and smallgoods makers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, butchers and smallgoods makers score furthest above the norm on responsibility burden (73.5 vs 60 average), lack of control (36.1 vs 24.5 average) and physical environment (49.2 vs 38.2 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is impact of decisions on co-workers or company results at 83.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.4.
The occupation scores below the national average for precision and monotony (61.5 vs 67.7), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for butchers and smallgoods makers
- 1Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
83.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 2Physical environment
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
78.2/100
All-occupation average: 32.4
- 3Pace and demands
Time Pressure
78/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 4Physical environment
Physical Proximity
76.5/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 5Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
74.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
All 22 stress factors for butchers and smallgoods makers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
44.2 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People14.5 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People71.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations46.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
73.5 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results69.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety72.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results83.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error72.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others69.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
59.1 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure78 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week32 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment64.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making74.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition47 vs 52.4
Lack of control
36.1 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions35.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work36.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
61.5 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks50 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate73 vs 78.6
Physical environment
49.2 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable66 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting22.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures78.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections2.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity76.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for butchers and smallgoods makers 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.
- Role Clarity →Whether workers clearly understand what is expected of them.
- Leadership →The quality and consistency of management behaviour at all levels.
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
Butchers and Smallgoods Makers: how stressful is the job?
Butchers and Smallgoods Makers rank #41 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 87.1% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for butchers and smallgoods makers?
The highest-scoring hazards are impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (83.2/100), very hot or cold temperatures (78.2/100) and time pressure (78/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for butchers and smallgoods makers?
Butchers and Smallgoods Makers score below the national average for precision and monotony (61.5 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 butchers and smallgoods makers. 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.