Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Other names for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders: Arc Furnace Operator, Cover Operator, Desilverizer, Fire Regulator, Furnace Charger, Furnace Hand, Furnace Roaster, Head Charger, Hot Iron Worker, Iron Caster, Kiln Burner, Lead Refiner, Melt Supervisor, Metal Melter, Metal Roaster, Observer, Open Hearth Worker, Ore Storage Drier, Pig Caster, Plunger, Pot Puller, Pull Up Hand, Rabbler, Remelter, Retort Loader, Ross Furnace Operator, Rotary Furnace Operator, Rotary Kiln Operator, Scrap Charger, Scrap Kettle Tender, Scruff Worker, Shove Up, Sinter Machine Operator, Skimmer, Slag Skimmer, Slagger, Smelter, Smelter Charger, Smelter Operator, Steel Melter, Stirrer, Stove Tender, Tin Recovery Worker, Topper, Utility Person, Vessel Operator, Zinc Furnace Charger, Zinc Skimmer, Metal Off Bearer, Metal Reclamation Kettle Tender, Metal Refiner, Metal Smelter, Muffle Worker, Muffler Hand, Muffler Tender, Oil Burner, Oil Burner Journeyman, Open Hearth Furnace Operator, Open Hearth Melter, Ore Charger, Ore Dryer, Ore Roaster, Ore Smelter, Oven Heater, Oven Operator, Oven Tender, Oven Worker, Oxygen Furnace Operator, Pig Casting Machine Operator, Pig Furnace Operator, Pig Machine Operator, Pipe Out Worker, Poler, Pot Feeder, Pot Filler, Pot Operator, Pot Puncher, Pot Room Tapper, Pot Tender, Puddler, Puller Out, Puncher, Pusher Runner, Pyrometer Operator, Reclamation Furnace Operator, Reduction Furnace Operator, Refiner, Reheat Furnace Operator, Remelt Worker, Arc / Argon Oxygen Decarborization Melter (ARC / AOD Melter), Residue Furnace Operator, Retort Cooler, Retort Fireman, Retort Furnace Operator, Crucible Furnace Tender, Cupola Melter, Cupola Operator, Cupola Tender, Direct Casting Operator, Electric Furnace Operator, Electric Melt Operator, Feeder, Fettler, Floater, Flux Plant Operator, Flux Tube Attendant, Foundry Worker Apprentice, Furnace Checker, Furnace Door Tender, Furnace Filler, Furnace Firer, Furnace Keeper, Furnace Loader, Furnace Operator, Furnace Puncher, Furnace Tapper, Furnace Tender, Gas Reverser, Gas Tender, Hearth Feeder, Hot Baller, Hot Blast Worker, Hot Car Charger, Hot Metal Car Operator, Hot Metal Charger, Induction Furnace Operator, Ingot Passer, Retort Pre-Cooker, Reverberatory Furnace Operator, Roaster, Rodman, Iron Founder, Iron Melter, Kettle Skimmer, Kettle Worker, Kiln Firer, Kiln Operator, Kiln Packer, Kiln Tender, Lead Furnace Operator, Lead Shop Operator, Leveler, Manganese Heater, Melt Down Furnace Operator, Melt Room Operator, Melter, Melting Furnace Skimmer, Melting Operator, Metal Furnace Operator, Argon Oxygen Decarborization Refining Vessel Operator (AOD Refining Vessel Operator), Automatic Furnace Operator, Backbreaker, Bessemer Converter Blower, Bessemer Converter Operator, Bessemer Regulator, Blade Bender Furnace Tender, Blast Furnace Blower, Blast Furnace Keeper, Blast Furnace Operator, Blast Furnace Tender, Blower Operator, Burner, Burner Tender, Cadmium Burner, Central Melt Specialist, Charge Operator, Charger Operator, Charging Machine Operator, Coke Burner, Coke Drawer, Condenser Setter, Control Room Operator, Converter, Converter Operator, Converter Skimmer, Cooler Operator, Copper Tapper,

• Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
• Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
• Record production data, and maintain production logs.
• Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
• Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
• Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
• Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
• Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
• Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
• Remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
• Kindle fires, and shovel fuel and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operators.
• Sprinkle chemicals over molten metal to bring impurities to the surface.
• Direct work crews in the cleaning and repair of furnace walls and flooring.
• Prepare material to load into furnaces, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, by using crushing-machines, shovels, rakes, or sprayers.
• Scrape accumulations of metal oxides from floors, molds, and crucibles, and sift and store them for reclamation.