Quick answer: Printers are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #127 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 49.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are pace and demands and precision and monotony.
Printers 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 demands26.9 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden63.8 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands72.7 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control23 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony78.9 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment31.7 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for printers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, printers score furthest above the norm on pace and demands (72.7 vs 56 average), precision and monotony (78.9 vs 67.7 average) and responsibility burden (63.8 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is time pressure at 95/100 — against an all-occupation average of 71.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (26.9 vs 37.9), physical environment (31.7 vs 38.2) and lack of control (23 vs 24.5), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for printers
- 1Pace and demands
Time Pressure
95/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 2Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
92.5/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
80.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Pace and demands
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
76/100
All-occupation average: 23.1
- 5Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
73.8/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
All 22 stress factors for printers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
26.9 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People12 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People33.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations35 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
63.8 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results55.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety71.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results68.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error52.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others71 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
72.7 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure95 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week70.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment76 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making80.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition41.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
23 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions21.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work24.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
78.9 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks65.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate92.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
31.7 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable73.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting16.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures18.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections0 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity49.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for printers 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.
- Learning and Stimulation →Whether work offers enough challenge, variety, and opportunity for growth.
- Work Monitoring →How worker performance is measured, observed, and reported.
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
Printers: how stressful is the job?
Printers rank #127 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 49.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 59.9% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for printers?
The highest-scoring hazards are time pressure (95/100), importance of being exact or accurate (92.5/100) and frequency of decision making (80.2/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands and precision and monotony.
Which stress factors are lower for printers?
Printers score below the national average for emotional demands (26.9 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (23 vs 24.5 average) and physical environment (31.7 vs 38.2 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 printers. 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.