Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Career Description: Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.

Industry: Production

Other Job Titles for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, and flow of liquids and gases, and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
• Observe safety precautions to prevent fires and explosions.
• Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
• Control and operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
• Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
• Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks and malfunctions, shutting equipment down if necessary.
• Patrol work areas to detect leaks and equipment malfunctions, and to monitor operating conditions.
• Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, and concentrations or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
• Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
• Record operational data such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
• Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.
• Add treating or neutralizing agents to products, and pump products through filters or centrifuges in order to remove impurities or to precipitate products.
• Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
• Read plant specifications to determine products, ingredients, and prescribed modifications of plant procedures.
• Drain equipment, and pump water or other solutions through in order to flush and clean tanks and equipment.
• Make minor repairs, and lubricate and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
• Flush or clean equipment, using steam hoses or mechanical reamers.
• Observe and compare colors and consistencies of products to instrument readings, and to laboratory and standard test results.
• Implement appropriate industrial emergency response procedures.
• Dump or scoop prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.
• Estimate materials required for production and manufacturing of products.
• Inventory supplies received and consumed.
• Direct activities of workers assisting in control or verification of processes, or in unloading of materials.
• Stop machines, cut threads that connect books, and stack separated books.
• Remove broken wire pieces from machines, and load machines with new spools of wire.
• Train workers to set up, operate, and use automatic bindery machines.
• Thread spirals in perforated holes of items to be bound, using spindles or rollers.

Emerging Tasks

• Check products for quality and identify damaged or expired goods.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• adhere to safety procedures
• adjust production equipment/machinery setup
• clean equipment or machinery
• collect samples for testing
• communicate technical information
• confer with engineering, technical or manufacturing personnel
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• distinguish colors
• estimate materials or labor requirements
• examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
• inspect machinery or equipment to determine adjustments or repairs needed
• inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
• load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
• maintain consistent production quality
• maintain or repair industrial or related equipment/machinery
• maintain production or work records
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
• monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
• operate chemical processing equipment
• operate power driven pumps
• perform safety inspections in manufacturing or industrial setting
• read specifications
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• test manufactured products or materials
• use chemical processing emergency procedures
• use hand or power tools
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• repair or replace malfunctioning or worn mechanical components
• set up and operate variety of machine tools
• signal directions or warnings to coworkers
• solder metal parts or components together
• stretch, bend, straighten, shape, pound, or press metal or plastic
• test mechanical products or equipment
• understand service or repair manuals
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use acetylene welding/cutting torch
• use basic plumbing techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use knowledge of metric system
• use machine tools in installation, maintenance, or repair
• use pneumatic tools
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use soldering equipment
• use spot or tack welding techniques
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$21.18
• Average annual wage (2007) - $44,050.00

• Employment (2006): 52,737

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