Quick answer: Recycling and Rubbish Collectors are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #47 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 53.2/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and pace and demands.
Recycling and Rubbish Collectors 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 demands40.2 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden57.8 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands69.2 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control9.6 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony78 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment64.7 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for recycling and rubbish collectors
Compared with the average Australian occupation, recycling and rubbish collectors score furthest above the norm on physical environment (64.7 vs 38.2 average), pace and demands (69.2 vs 56 average) and precision and monotony (78 vs 67.7 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 94/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (9.6 vs 24.5) and responsibility burden (57.8 vs 60), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for recycling and rubbish collectors
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
94/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
85.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Physical environment
Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
85.8/100
All-occupation average: 52.3
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
84.5/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 5Physical environment
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
83.8/100
All-occupation average: 32.4
All 22 stress factors for recycling and rubbish collectors
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
40.2 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People21 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People61 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations38.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
57.8 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results39.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety52.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results85.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error66.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others44.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
69.2 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure64.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week80.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment37.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making94 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition69.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
9.6 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions2.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work16.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
78 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks71.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate84.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
64.7 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable85.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting60 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures83.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections63.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity30.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for recycling and rubbish collectors map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- 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.
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
Recycling and Rubbish Collectors: how stressful is the job?
Recycling and Rubbish Collectors rank #47 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 53.2/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 85.2% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for recycling and rubbish collectors?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (94/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (85.8/100) and sounds and noise levels are distracting or uncomfortable (85.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for recycling and rubbish collectors?
Recycling and Rubbish Collectors score below the national average for responsibility burden (57.8 vs 60 average) and lack of control (9.6 vs 24.5 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 recycling and rubbish collectors. 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.