Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

Career Description: Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects.

Industry: Production

Other Job Titles for Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand:

• 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

• Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
• Mark defects such as knotholes, cracks, and splits for repair.
• Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
• Select files or other abrasives, according to materials, sizes and shapes of workpieces, amount of stock to be removed, finishes specified, and steps in finishing processes.
• Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
• Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
• Record product and processing data on specified forms.
• Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
• Remove completed workpieces from equipment or work tables, using hand tools, and place workpieces in containers.
• Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
• Transfer equipment, objects, or parts to specified work areas, using moving devices.
• Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
• Apply solutions and chemicals to equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
• Spread emery powder or other polishing compounds on stone, or wet stone surfaces using hoses, then guide buffing wheels over stone to polish surfaces.
• Wash grit from stone, using hoses.
• Repair and maintain equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
• Sharpen abrasive grinding tools, using machines and hand tools.
• File grooved, contoured, and irregular surfaces of metal objects, such as metalworking dies and machine parts, to conform to templates, other parts, layouts, or blueprint specifications.
• Fill cracks or imperfections in marble with wax that matches the stone color.
• Clean brass particles from files by drawing file cards through file grooves.
• Dismantle lapping, boring, cutting, polishing, and shaping equipment and machinery in order to clean and lubricate it.
• Regrind drill points, and advance drill cutting points according to specifications for channel depths and shapes.
• Modify cooking and forming operations based on the results of sampling processes, adjusting time cycles and ingredients to achieve desired qualities, such as firmness or texture.
• Place products on carts or conveyors to transfer them to the next stage of processing.
• Manipulate products, by hand or using machines, to separate, spread, knead, spin, cast, cut, pull, or roll products.
• Install, align, and adjust neck rings, press plungers, and feeder tubes.
• Couple air and gas lines to machines to maintain plasticity of material and to regulate solidification of final products.
• Measure arbors and dies to verify sizes specified on work tickets.
• Cut outlines of impressions with gravers, and remove excess material with knives.
• Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
• Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions.
• Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.

Emerging Tasks

• Conduct employee training, including demonstrating equipment operations and work and safety procedures to new employees, or assign employees to experienced workers for training.
• Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
• Recommend or execute personnel actions such as hirings, evaluations, and promotions.

• 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

• adjust production equipment/machinery setup
• cut or shape stone, tile, brick, or related material
• examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
• fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
• maintain production or work records
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• monitor the quantity of assembly output
• move or fit heavy objects
• operate hoist, winch, or hydraulic boom
• perform repetitive tasks in assembly setting
• sharpen metal objects
• use hand or power tools
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• signal directions or warnings to coworkers
• test materials or solutions
• use hand or power tools
• use laboratory equipment
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• operate ore refining/foundry equipment/machinery
• operate pulp or paper making equipment
• operate textile production equipment/machinery
• operate woodworking equipment/machinery
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• test manufactured products or materials
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use hand or power tools
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• motivate workers to achieve work goals
• orient new employees
• oversee work progress to verify safety or conformance to standards
• prepare or maintain employee records
• prepare reports
• read blueprints
• read technical drawings
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• recommend improvements to work methods or procedures
• requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• resolve personnel problems or grievances
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule employee work hours
• set up production equipment or machinery
• understand second language
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use precision measuring devices in mechanical repair work
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use soldering equipment
• use technical information in manufacturing or industrial activities
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

Overall Experience
No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a cashier even if he/she has never worked before.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

Education
These occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some may require a formal training course to obtain a license.

Examples
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation attendants, counter and rental clerks, cashiers, and waiters/waitresses.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$11.95
• Average annual wage (2007) - $24,850.00

• Employment (2006): 44,776

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