Quick answer: Floor Finishers are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #232 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 43.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Floor Finishers 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 demands31 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden62.9 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands58.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control11.6 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony56.1 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment43.2 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for floor finishers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, floor finishers score furthest above the norm on physical environment (43.2 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (62.9 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (58.5 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is time pressure at 81/100 — against an all-occupation average of 71.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (11.6 vs 24.5), precision and monotony (56.1 vs 67.7) and emotional demands (31 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 floor finishers
- 1Pace and demands
Time Pressure
81/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
78.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
77/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
74/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 5Responsibility burden
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
68.5/100
All-occupation average: 58.5
All 22 stress factors for floor finishers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
31 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People4.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People38.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations50 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
62.9 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results68.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety58.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results78.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error46.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others62.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
58.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure81 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week62 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment10.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making77 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition61.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
11.6 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions3.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work20 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
56.1 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks38.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate74 vs 78.6
Physical environment
43.2 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable62.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting44.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures35.5 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections14.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity59.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for floor finishers 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.
- 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
Floor Finishers: how stressful is the job?
Floor Finishers rank #232 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 43.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 26.8% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for floor finishers?
The highest-scoring hazards are time pressure (81/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (78.2/100) and frequency of decision making (77/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for floor finishers?
Floor Finishers score below the national average for emotional demands (31 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (11.6 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (56.1 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 floor finishers. 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.