Explore the Career Kingdom:
Chemical Plant and System Operators
Control or operate an entire chemical process or system of machines.
Other names for Chemical Plant and System Operators:
Ammonia Still Operator, Badger Distiller Operator, Checker, Chemical Operator, Chemical Plant Operations Technician, Chemical Technician, Chief Operator, Continuous Operator, Control Room Operator, Denitrator, Furnace Process Plant Operator, Hydrogenation Operator, Naphtha Washing System Operator, Nitrogen Operator, Operations Technician, Operator, Pharmaceutical Operator, Pressure Controller, Process Development Associate, Process Development Technician, Process Operator, Process Technician, Switchboard Operator, Tower Operator, Utility Operator, Warehouse Technician, Wash Operator,
What do Chemical Plant and System Operators do?
Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, and yields.
Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, and other indicators, and listen for warning signals, in order to verify conformity of process conditions.
Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
Record operating data such as process conditions, test results, and instrument readings.
Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, and product quality.
Draw samples of products, and conduct quality control tests in order to monitor processing, and to ensure that standards are met.
Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
Start pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases and vapors, to regulate the flow of oil, steam, air, and perfume to towers, and to add products to converter or blending vessels.
Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors, and review laboratory test reports for process adjustments.
Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks and troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
Notify maintenance, stationary-engineering, and other auxiliary personnel to correct equipment malfunctions and to adjust power, steam, water, or air supplies.
Inspect operating units such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, and driers to ensure that all are functioning, and to maintain maximum efficiency.
Direct workers engaged in operating machinery that regulates the flow of materials and products.
Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
Calculate material requirements or yields according to formulas.
Gauge tank levels, using calibrated rods.
Repair and replace damaged equipment.
Defrost frozen valves, using steam hoses.
Supervise the cleaning of towers, strainers, and spray tips.
