Occupational Employment Statistics
51-9011 Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
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. Excludes “Chemical Plant and System Operators" (51-8091).
| Manufacturing | 1,070 | $24.57/hr |
| Trade, Transportation and Utilities | 50 | $31.09/hr |
| Professional and Business Services | 30 | $20.33/hr |
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
- Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
- Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
- Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
- Dump or scoop prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.