Quick answer: Packers are one of the most stress-exposed occupations in Australia — ranked #30 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 55.8/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are pace and demands and precision and monotony.
Packers 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 demands35 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden70.7 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands75 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control35.2 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony79.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment38.9 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for packers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, packers score furthest above the norm on pace and demands (75 vs 56 average), precision and monotony (79.8 vs 67.7 average) and responsibility burden (70.7 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is pace determined by speed of equipment at 90/100 — against an all-occupation average of 23.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (35 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 packers
- 1Pace and demands
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
90/100
All-occupation average: 23.1
- 2Pace and demands
Time Pressure
86/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 3Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
85.2/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 4Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
84.5/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
- 5Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
78.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
All 22 stress factors for packers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
35 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People10 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People57.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations37.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
70.7 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results67.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety84.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results73 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error59.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others69.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
75 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure86 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week59.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment90 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making78.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition60.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
35.2 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions35.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work35.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
79.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks74.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate85.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
38.9 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable75.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting12.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures43.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections3.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity59.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for packers 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
Packers: how stressful is the job?
Packers rank #30 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 55.8/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 90.5% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for packers?
The highest-scoring hazards are pace determined by speed of equipment (90/100), time pressure (86/100) and importance of being exact or accurate (85.2/100). 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 packers?
Packers score below the national average for emotional demands (35 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 packers. 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.