Quick answer: Plasterers are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #140 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 48.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and precision and monotony.
Plasterers 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 demands30.9 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden55.6 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands52.6 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control25.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony73.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment50.2 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for plasterers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, plasterers score furthest above the norm on physical environment (50.2 vs 38.2 average), precision and monotony (73.8 vs 67.7 average) and lack of control (25.5 vs 24.5 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is importance of being exact or accurate at 85.8/100 — against an all-occupation average of 78.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (30.9 vs 37.9), responsibility burden (55.6 vs 60) and pace and demands (52.6 vs 56), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for plasterers
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
85.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
76.8/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 3Pace and demands
Time Pressure
68.2/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
67.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
66.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
All 22 stress factors for plasterers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
30.9 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People14 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People42.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations36.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
55.6 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results61.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety52.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results67.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error44.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others52 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
52.6 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure68.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week45 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment26.2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making66.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition57 vs 52.4
Lack of control
25.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions24.8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work26.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
73.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks61.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate85.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
50.2 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable76.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting49 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures59 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections6 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity60.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for plasterers map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- 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.
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
Plasterers: how stressful is the job?
Plasterers rank #140 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 48.1/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 55.8% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for plasterers?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (85.8/100), sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (76.8/100) and time pressure (68.2/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in lack of control, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for plasterers?
Plasterers score below the national average for emotional demands (30.9 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (55.6 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (52.6 vs 56 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 plasterers. 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.