Chemical Plant and System Operators

Control or operate an entire chemical process or system of machines.

Job Task

• Draws samples of products and conducts quality control tests to monitor processing and ensure standards are met.
• Confers with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, and product quality.
• Notifies maintenance, stationary-engineering, and other auxiliary personnel to correct equipment malfunction and adjust power, steam, water, or air supply.
• Patrols work area to observe level of carbon in thickener tank and wash solutions in overflow troughs to prevent spills.
• Records operating data, such as process conditions, test results, and instruments readings, calculating material requirements or yield according to formulas.
• Turns valves to regulate flow of product or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks, according to process.
• Moves control settings to make control adjustments on equipment units affecting speed of chemical reactions and quality and yield.
• Starts pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases and vapors, and to mix product with water.
• Monitors recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, and other indicators, and listens for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
• Interprets chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitor and reviews laboratory test reports for process adjustments.
• Manually regulates or shuts down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
• Defrosts frozen valves, using steam hose.
• Gauges tank levels, using calibrated rod.
• Inspects equipment for potential and actual hazards, wear, leaks, and other conditions requiring maintenance shutdown.

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