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Career Details

51-9011.00 - Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders


Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
66,300
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
60,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
-5,500
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-8.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
  • Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
  • Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
  • Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
  • Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
  • Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
  • Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
  • Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
  • Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
  • Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
  • Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.
  • Add treating or neutralizing agents to products, and pump products through filters or centrifuges to remove impurities or to precipitate products.
  • Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
  • Read plant specifications to determine products, ingredients, or prescribed modifications of plant procedures.
  • Drain equipment, and pump water or other solutions through to flush and clean tanks or equipment.
  • Make minor repairs, lubricate, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • Flush or clean equipment, using steam hoses or mechanical reamers.
  • Observe and compare colors and consistencies of products to instrument readings and to laboratory and standard test results.
  • Implement appropriate industrial emergency response procedures.
  • Dump or scoop prescribed solid, granular, or powdered materials into equipment.
  • Estimate materials required for production and manufacturing of products.
  • Inventory supplies received and consumed.
  • Direct activities of workers assisting in control or verification of processes or in unloading of materials.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Production and Processing
  • 91%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Chemistry
  • 88%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Mechanical
  • 81%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 74%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 English Language
  • 74%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 69%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Mathematics
  • 69%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Law and Government
  • 67%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Clerical
  • 65%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Administration and Management
  • 65%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 63%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Education and Training
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Design
  • 59%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Transportation
  • 59%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 58%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 55%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Tanks and cylinders and their accessories
  • Agitator tanks
  • Blending vessels
  • Chemical reactor vessels
  • Neutralizer tanks
  • Soap-spray storage tanks
  • Storage drums
 Respiratory protection
  • Air purifying respirators
  • Respirators
  • Self-contained breathing apparatus
 Purification
  • Air scrubbers
 Air circulation and parts and accessories
  • Axial flow fans
  • Blowers
  • Centrifugal fans
 Industrial drying equipment
  • Batch dryers
  • Belt dryers
  • Continuous tray dryers
  • Drum dryers
  • Industrial dryers
  • Packed towers
  • Pneumatic conveying dryers
  • Rotary cylindrical dryers
  • Spray dryers
 Conveyors and accessories
  • Belt conveyors
  • Bucket elevators
  • Chain conveyors
  • Screw conveyors
 Indicating and recording instruments
  • Bourdon tubes
  • Pressure gauges
 Water treatment and supply equipment
  • Brine concentrators
  • Collectors
  • Water clarifiers
  • Water softeners
 Pumps
  • Centrifugal pumps
  • Gear pumps
  • Positive displacement pumps
  • Reciprocating pumps
  • Rotary pumps
  • Vacuum pumps
 Vision protection and accessories
  • Chemical splash goggles
  • Safety goggles
 Heating equipment and parts and accessories
  • Circulation heaters
  • Heat exchangers
 Engines
  • Combustion gas turbines
  • Steam turbines
 Laboratory water purification equipment and supplies
  • Demineralizers
  • Reverse osmosis systems
 Temperature and heat measuring instruments
  • Digital surface thermometers
  • Thermocouple temperature probes
  • Thermocouples
 Fermentation equipment
  • Fermentation chambers
 Filters
  • Filler presses
  • Industrial filters
 Fire fighting equipment
  • Fire blankets
  • Fire extinguishers
 Spectroscopic equipment
  • Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometers
  • Infrared spectroscopic equipment
  • Spectrophotometers
 Laboratory sieves and sifting equipment and supplies
  • Gas-liquid separators
  • Liquid-liquid separators
 Hydraulic tools
  • Hydraulic accumulators
 Metal cutting tools
  • Mechanical reamers
 Filter media
  • Media filters
 Safety apparel
  • Personal protective equipment
 Wrenches and drivers
  • Pipe wrenches
  • Screwdrivers
 Face and head protection
  • Protective face shields
  • Welding helmets
 Compressors
  • Reciprocating compressors
 Safety footwear
  • Safety shoes
 Hoses
  • Steam hoses
 Power tools
  • Waxing buffers
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Mountain Empire Community College
Randolph-Macon College