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Career Details : Conveyor Operators and Tenders

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Description

Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.

Experience

No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a general office clerk even if he/she has never worked in an office before.

Education

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

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.

Tasks

  • Weighs or measures materials and products, using scales or other measuring instruments, to verify specified tonnage and prevent overloads.
  • Records production data, such as weight, type, quantity, and storage locations of materials, and documents equipment downtime.
  • Loads, unloads, or adjusts materials or products on conveyors by hand or using lifts and hoists.
  • Affixes identifying information to materials or products, using hand tools.
  • Inspects equipment and machinery to prevent loss of materials or products during transit.
  • Repairs or replaces equipment components or parts such as blades, rolls, and pumps.
  • Stops equipment or machinery and clears jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or removes damaged materials from conveyors.
  • Reads production and delivery schedules and confers with supervisor to determine processing procedures.
  • Signals workers in other departments to move materials, products, or machinery, or notifies work stations of shipments en route and estimated delivery times.
  • Observes conveyor operations and monitors lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and detect equipment malfunctions.
  • Manipulates controls, levers, and valves to start pumps, auxiliary equipment, or conveyors and adjust equipment positions, speed, timing, and material flow.
  • Collects samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis and to ensure conformance to specifications.
  • Distributes materials, supplies, and equipment to workstations, using lifts and trucks.
  • Moves, assembles, and connects hoses or nozzles to material hoppers, storage tanks, conveyor sections or chutes, and pumps.
  • Cleans, sterilizes, and maintains equipment, machinery, and workstations, using hand tools, shovels, brooms, chemicals, hoses, and lubricants.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Consequence of Error
    • Degree of Automation
    • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
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