Quick answer: Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades Workers are one of the most stress-exposed occupations in Australia — ranked #23 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 56.3/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are pace and demands and physical environment.
Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades 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 demands37.2 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden71 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands73.4 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control33.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony69.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment53 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers score furthest above the norm on pace and demands (73.4 vs 56 average), physical environment (53 vs 38.2 average) and responsibility burden (71 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is duration of typical work week at 87/100 — against an all-occupation average of 62.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (37.2 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 metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers
- 1Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
87/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 2Pace and demands
Time Pressure
86.8/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 3Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
85.8/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
79.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
78.5/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
All 22 stress factors for metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
37.2 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People10.2 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People51.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations50.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
71 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results69 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety78.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results79.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error63.2 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others64.5 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
73.4 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure86.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week87 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment76.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making68 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition48.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
33.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions30 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work37 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
69.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks64 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate75.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
53 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable85.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting41.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures71.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections1.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity65 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for metal casting, forging and finishing trades 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades Workers: how stressful is the job?
Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades Workers rank #23 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 56.3/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 92.7% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers?
The highest-scoring hazards are duration of typical work week (87/100), time pressure (86.8/100) and sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (85.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for metal casting, forging and finishing trades workers?
Metal Casting, Forging and Finishing Trades Workers score below the national average for emotional demands (37.2 vs 37.9 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 metal casting, forging and finishing trades 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.