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Career Details : Chemical Equipment Controllers and Operators

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Description

Control or operate equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Typical equipment used are reaction kettles, catalytic converters, continuous or batch treating equipment, saturator tanks, electrolytic cells, reactor vessels, recovery units, and fermentation chambers.

Experience

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.

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.

Training

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

Tasks

  • Records operational data such as temperature, pressure, ingredients used, processing time, or test results, in operating log.
  • Patrols and inspects equipment or unit to detect leaks and malfunctions.
  • Dumps or scoops prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.
  • Operates or tends auxiliary equipment, such as heaters, scrubbers, filters, or driers, to prepare or further process materials.
  • Draws samples of product and sends to laboratory for analysis.
  • Opens valves or operates pumps to admit or drain specified amounts of materials, impurities, or treating agents to or from equipment.
  • Tests sample for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH level, concentration, or viscosity.
  • Makes minor repairs and lubricates and maintains equipment, using hand tools.
  • Monitors gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or product to regulate or maintain specified conditions.
  • Reads plant specifications to ascertain product, ingredient, and prescribed modifications of plant procedures.
  • Weighs or measures specified amounts of materials.
  • Flushes or cleans equipment, using steam hose or mechanical reamer.
  • 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.
  • Adds treating or neutralizing agent to product and pumps product through filter or centrifuge to remove impurities or precipitate product.
  • Sets and adjusts indicating, controlling, or timing devices, such as gauging instruments, thermostat, gas analyzers, or recording calorimeter.
  • Directs activities of workers assisting in control or verification of process or in unloading materials.
  • Adjusts controls to regulate temperature, pressure, and time of prescribed reaction, according to knowledge of equipment and process.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Degree of Automation
    • Consequence of Error
    • Responsible for Others' Health & Safety
    • Indoors
    • Frustrating Circumstances
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