DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-9011 Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Occupational 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. Excludes ?Chemical Plant and System Operators? (51-8091).| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Southeast Minnesota | 60 | 25 | $24.61/hr | $1.77/hr | $16.51/hr | $18.72/hr | $23.71/hr | $29.66/hr | $35.02/hr |
| Minnesota | 1,020 | 103 | $22.57/hr | $0.61/hr | $15.72/hr | $17.76/hr | $21.98/hr | $27.25/hr | $31.16/hr |
| U S | 87,120 | 2,439 | $25.15/hr | $0.20/hr | $14.25/hr | $18.03/hr | $23.97/hr | $31.25/hr | $38.37/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2022 - 2032 | |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 1,050 | $20.15/hr | 5.5% |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 380 | $17.79/hr | 4.1% |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 320 | $20.58/hr | 9.9% |
| Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and System Operators | 230 | $26.82/hr | -4.1% |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 200 | $21.15/hr | -11.7% |
| Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 160 | $17.58/hr | -5.1% |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 80 | $17.75/hr | 4.9% |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | N/A | $19.68/hr | N/A |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | N/A | $14.02/hr | N/A |
| Ship Engineers | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Tasks for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Sets and adjusts indicating, controlling, or timing devices, such as gauging instruments, thermostat, gas analyzers, or recording calorimeter.
- Adjusts controls to regulate temperature, pressure, and time of prescribed reaction, according to knowledge of equipment and process.
- Operates or tends auxiliary equipment, such as heaters, scrubbers, filters, or driers, to prepare or further process materials.
- Monitors gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or product to regulate or maintain specified conditions.
- Directs activities of workers assisting in control or verification of process or in unloading materials.
- Makes minor repairs and lubricates and maintains equipment, using hand tools.
- Records operational data such as temperature, pressure, ingredients used, processing time, or test results, in operating log.
- Flushes or cleans equipment, using steamhose or mechanical reamer.
- Draws samples of product and sends to laboratory for analysis.
- Tests sample for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH level, concentration, or viscosity.
- Patrols and inspects equipment or unit to detect leaks and malfunctions.
- Weighs or measures specified amounts of materials.
- Reads plant specifications to ascertain product, ingredient, and prescribed modifications of plant procedures.
- Dumps or scoops prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.
- Adds treating or neutralizing agent to product and pumps product through filter or centrifuge to remove impurities or precipitate product.
- Mixes chemicals according to proportion tables or prescribed formulas.
- Moves controls to adjust feed and flow of liquids and gases through equipment in specified sequence.
- Starts pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
- Opens valves or operates pumps to admit or drain specified amounts of materials, impurities, or treating agents to or from equipment.
- Starts pumps and agitators, turns valves, or moves controls of processing equipment to admit, transfer, filter, or mix chemicals.
- Loads specified amounts of chemicals into processing equipment.
- Weighs, measures, or mixes prescribed quantities of materials.
- Draws sample of products for analysis to aid in process adjustments and maintain production standards.
- Drains equipment and pumps water or other solution through to flush and clean tanks or equipment.
- Inventories supplies received and consumed.
- Assists other workers in preparing and maintaining equipment.
- Observes safety precautions to prevent fires and explosions.
- Notifies maintenance engineer of equipment malfunction.
- Records data in log from instruments and gauges concerning temperature, pressure, materials used, treating time, and shift production.
- Tests samples to determine specific gravity, composition, or acidity, using chemical test equipment such as hydrometer or pH meter.
- Replaces filtering media or makes minor repairs to equipment, using hand tools.
- Patrols work area to detect leaks and equipment malfunctions, and monitor operating conditions.
- Observes gauges, meters, and panel lights to monitor operating conditions, such as temperature or pressure.
- Adjusts valves or controls to maintain system within specified operating conditions.
