Index
Intro
Chemical plant machine operators monitor and operate units and machinery to blend, mix, process and package a wide range of specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cleaning and toiletry products. They are primarily employed in chemical, cleaning compound, ink and adhesive industries, but may also be employed by chemical processing departments in other industries.
Mobility between employers producing similar products is possible for some of the more skilled operators in this unit group.
Progression to supervisory positions or to process control occupations is possible with experience.
Personal protective equipment may be required when working with some types of chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
Main Duties
Chemical plant machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Monitor meters, gauges and electronic instrumentation on one or more chemical or formulation units, such as mixers, kettles, blenders, dryers, tabletting, encapsulation, granulation and coating machines
- Measure, weigh and load chemical ingredients following formulation cards
- Start up, shut down, troubleshoot and clean equipment
- Adjust processing machines and equipment
- Monitor reaction processes and transfers of products in conformance with safety procedures
- Take samples and perform routine chemical and physical tests of products
- Record production data
- May operate equipment from a control room or from control consoles located near the production units.
Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of several months to one year of informal, on-the-job training within the company is required for most mixer and blender operators.
- Completion of more than one year of formal and informal company training may be required for some operators working in pharmaceutical, explosives and agricultural chemical or in specialty chemical plants.
- Previous experience in chemical products processing as an assistant, labourer or helper may be required for some occupations in this unit group.
- Certification in the transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), first aid, firefighting or workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) may be required for some occupations in this unit group.
All Titles
- acetylene plant attendant
- acid pumper – chemical processing
- acidulation plant tender
- asphalt coater – chemical processing
- asphalt heater tender
- asphalt plant dryer tender
- asphalt roofing material mixer
- asphalt roofing materials inspector
- autoclave operator – chemical processing
- backing-in machine tender
- batch mixer – chemical processing
- batch still operator
- battery acid adjuster
- battery paste maker
- battery paste mixer
- black powder grainer and glazier tender
- black powder press tender
- bleacher, oils
- bleaching solution maker
- blender – chemical processing
- blender operator – chemical processing
- blender, glues – chemical processing
- cadmium liquor maker
- calciner tender
- capsule filler – chemical processing
- capsule machine operator
- capsule machine operator – chemical processing
- carbon black pelletizer
- carbon paste mixer operator
- cellulose film caster – chemical processing
- cellulose film dry-end tender
- cellulose film rewinder
- cellulose film wet-end tender
- centrifugal separator tender – chemical processing
- centrifuge tender – chemical processing
- charcoal burner
- chemical operator, chemical-processing
- chemical plant machine operator
- chiller operator – chemical processing
- chiller tender – chemical processing
- cleaning compounds mixer
- coater, asphalt
- coating compounds mixer – chemical processing
- coating machine operator – chemical processing
- coating machine tender – chemical processing
- coatings mixer – chemical processing
- coke by-products pump operator – chemical processing
- colour grinder tender – chemical processing
- colour matcher – chemical processing
- colour mixer, prints – chemical processing
- colour weigher and mixer
- composition mixer – chemical processing
- compounder – chemical processing
- compounder, latex
- cooker – chemical processing
- cosmetics and perfume maker
- crusher tender – chemical processing
- crutcher operator – chemical processing
- crystallizer tender – chemical processing
- dehydrating press tender – chemical processing
- detergent and powdered soap screener-perfumer
- devulcanizer tender
- digester operator – chemical processing
- distiller operator – soda ash processing
- distiller, wood distillation and charcoal
- drug and toilet goods weigher
- drum filler, liquefied gases
- dry explosive mixer
- Dry Ice maker
- dry-end tender, cellulose films
- dryer operator – chemical processing
- dryer operator, soap flakes
- dryer tender – chemical processing
- dryer tender, asphalt plant
- dryer tender, nitrocellulose
- dryhouse attendant – chemical processing
- dryhouse tender, explosive primers – chemical processing
- dye maker
- electrode oven operator
- evaporator operator – chemical processing
- explosive primers dryhouse attendant – chemical processing
- explosive primers dryhouse tender – chemical processing
- explosives mixer
- explosives mixer tender
- extractor operator, phenol
- extractor operator, phosphoric acid
- fertilizer mixer
- fibreglass binder mixer
- filter press tender – chemical processing
- flaker tender – chemical processing
- formulation blender operator, pesticides
- formulations blender operator
- formulations blender operator – chemical processing
- furnace cooler
- fuse maker – chemical processing
- glue blender
- graining press operator – chemical processing
- granulator machine operator
- granulator machine operator – chemical processing
- grinder tender – chemical processing
- hydrator operator
- ink matcher
- ink purifier
- insecticide mixer
- inspector, asphalt roofing materials
- inspector, vinyl fabrics
- kettle operator – chemical processing
- kettle tender – chemical processing
- lacquer maker
- latex coagulation operator
- latex compounder
- lead oxide maker – chemical processing
- lead oxide mill tender – chemical processing
- light-oil extractor operator
- linoleum oil oxidizer
- liquefied gas drum filler
- liquid mixer, photographic chemicals
- loading inspector – chemical processing
- match head maker
- mercury recoverer – chemical processing
- mill roll tester – chemical processing
- mill tender – chemical processing
- mixer – chemical processing
- mixer helper, wallpaper colours
- mixer tender – chemical processing
- mixer, asphalt roofing materials
- mixer, battery paste
- mixer, coating compounds – chemical processing
- mixer, coatings – chemical processing
- mixer, dry explosives
- mixer, explosives
- mixer, paints – chemical processing
- mixer, soda solutions
- mixer, viscose
- moulder – chemical processing
- moulder and compressor, toiletries – chemical processing
- neutralizer
- neutralizer, nitroglycerine
- nitrocellulose dryer tender
- nitrocellulose finisher
- nitrocellulose screener and weigher
- nitroglycerine neutralizer
- odorization technician – chemical processing
- operator, batch still
- operator, chemical plant
- operator, chemical processing machine
- operator, grinder – chemical processing
- operator, mixer – chemical processing
- operator, orthophosphate wet mix
- operator, packaging machine – chemical processing
- operator, soap flake dryer
- operator, sulphonator – chemical processing
- operator, tital liquor plant
- operator, wash-house and recovery equipment – chemical processing
- orthophosphate wet mix operator
- oven operator, electrodes
- packaging machine operator – chemical processing
- paint maker
- paint mixer
- paradichlorobenzene equipment tender
- pelletizer, plastics
- perfume maker
- pesticide mixer
- phenol plant extractor operator
- phosphoric acid extractor
- plastics pelletizer
- plodder operator
- powder blender
- precipitator operator – chemical processing
- press tender, dehydrating – chemical processing
- print colour mixer
- pulverizer and sifter tender – chemical processing
- pulverizing and sifting equipment tender – chemical processing
- pump operator, coke by-products – chemical processing
- reagent mixer – cellulose film manufacturing
- recausticizer
- recovery equipment operator – chemical processing
- recovery vat tender
- ring furnace operator
- ring furnace operator helper
- saturating machine tender – chemical processing
- saturator operator
- scratcher tender
- screener – chemical processing
- screener and weigher, nitrocellulose
- screener-perfumer, detergents and powdered soaps
- sealant operator – chemical processing
- separation press tender
- settler-filterer – chemical processing
- shredding machine tender – chemical processing
- slabber
- soap boiler
- soap chipper
- soap cutter and stamper
- soap flake dryer operator
- soap maker
- soda dialyzer
- soda solution maker
- soda solution mixer
- solution maker, soda
- solution mixer – chemical processing
- solvent recovery tender – chemical processing
- spinneret pack preparer – chemical processing
- splash line tender
- spray dryer tender – chemical processing
- still tender
- sulphonator
- tender, nitrocellulose dryer
- tender, recausticizer
- tender, saturating machine – chemical processing
- textile treatment solution mixer
- tinter – chemical processing
- toiletries moulder and compressor
- tower operator – soap
- tracer powder blender
- varnish maker
- vinyl and asbestos-blending machine tender
- vinyl fabrics inspector
- viscose filter operator
- viscose maker
- viscose solution mixer
- washer and dryer – chemical processing
- wash-house and recovery operator
- wax bleacher
- weigher – chemical processing
- weigher and mixer, colorants – chemical processing
- wet mix operator, orthophosphate
- wet-end tender, cellulose films
- white lead mixer
Exclusions
- Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators (9232)
- Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities (9212)