Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

  • Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
  • Examine materials, ingredients, or products, visually or with hands, to ensure conformance to established standards.
  • Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
  • Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
  • Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
  • Read work orders to determine production specifications and information.
  • Dislodge and clear jammed materials or other items from machinery and equipment, using hand tools.
  • Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
  • Record data from operations, testing, and production on specified forms.
  • Load materials into machinery and equipment, using hand tools.
  • Clean work areas.
  • Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
  • Transfer materials, supplies, and products between work areas, using moving equipment and hand tools.
  • Reject defective products and readjust equipment to eliminate problems.
  • Inspect chains, belts, or scrolls for signs of wear.
  • Test samples of materials or products to ensure compliance with specifications, using test equipment.
  • Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory testing.
  • Set mill gauges to specified fineness of grind.
  • Mark bins as to types of mixtures stored.
  • Turn valves to regulate the moisture contents of materials.
  • Add or mix chemicals and ingredients for processing, using hand tools or other devices.
  • Break mixtures to size, using picks.
Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities
  • Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
  • Operate grinding equipment.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
  • Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
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Knowledge

Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language
  • 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
  • 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.

Skills

Operation Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
  • Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring
  • Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making
  • Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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Abilities

Multilimb Coordination
  • The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity
  • The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Rate Control
  • The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Data entry software Hot Technology
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
  • Spreadsheet software
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
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