Introduction and objective:
The phenomenon of occupational burnout is a common factor affecting employees’ health. In a study on occupational burnout it may happen that variables that are not among the main predictors of burnout can noticeably affect burnout and the main independent variables. The aim of this study was to verify hypotheses about the role of demographic variables in explaining levels of stress and burnout, based on the example of men working as firefighters and 112 emergency operators.

Material and methods:
A total of 823 men employed as firefighters and 112 emergency number operators were surveyed. The study applied the LINK Occupational Burnout Questionnaire, the PSS-10 Perceived Stress Scale and a demographic questionnaire. It was followed by an analysis of covariance of qualitative variables and quantitative predictors (ANCOVA).

Results:
The study showed that living in rural areas was associated with lower levels of burnout among the men in the examined group. A similar relationship was detected for marital status, having children and secondary education. The other main variable, the level of perceived stress and age, showed typical associations with occupational burnout.

Conclusions:
The search for the causes of occupational burnout should not be narrowed only to stressors related to the demands of the workplace. Demographic variables are important elements of an employee’s non-work environment and often a source of personal strengths. However, it should be remembered that the same factor can have both a protective function as well as a source of additional stress.