Saskatchewan JobFutures

Nature of Work

Operators in this occupational group operate and monitor machinery and equipment to control the processing of minerals and metals; petroleum, gas and chemicals; wood, scrap pulp and other cellulose materials; and paper, paper pulp and paperboard. They are employed in copper, lead, zinc and precious metal refineries; uranium, cement processing and aluminium plants; steel mills; petroleum and natural gas processing plants; pipeline, petrochemical, industrial and agricultural plants; specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper companies; and other plants.

Nature of Work

Operators in this occupational group operate and monitor machinery and equipment to control the processing of minerals and metals; petroleum, gas and chemicals; wood, scrap pulp and other cellulose materials; and paper, paper pulp and paperboard. They are employed in copper, lead, zinc and precious metal refineries; uranium, cement processing and aluminium plants; steel mills; petroleum and natural gas processing plants; pipeline, petrochemical, industrial and agricultural plants; specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper companies; and other plants.

Duties

Central control and process operators in mineral and metal processing operate and monitor control panels, computer terminals or other control systems, usually from a central control room, to co-ordinate and monitor the operation of a particular aspect of mineral ore, metal or cement processing production. They also operate multi-function central process control machinery to grind, separate, filter, melt, roast, treat, refine or otherwise process mineral ores. Their work may involve observing computer-printouts, video monitors and gauges to verify specified processing conditions and to make necessary adjustments.

Operators in this field may also be responsible for co-ordinating and supervising machine and process operators, tenders, assistants, helpers and other production crew and for starting up and shutting down production systems in cases of emergency or as required by schedule. They may also provide or organize training to production crew members, maintain shift logs of production and other data, and prepare production and other reports. Central control and process operators in mineral and metal processing are employed in copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminium plants, precious metal refineries, cement processing plants and other mineral ore and metal processing plants.production crew

Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators operate electronic or computerized control panels from a central control room to monitor and optimize physical and chemical processes for several processing units. Their regular duties include controlling process start-up, shut-down and troubleshooting; monitoring outside process equipment; and adjusting equipment, valves, pumps and controls and process equipment. They also authorize or co-sign maintenance work orders; shut down, isolate and prepare process units or production equipment for maintenance; sample products; perform tests; record data; carry out statistical process control on process operations; and write production logs.

Operators in this field of processing may also develop procedures for the normal operation, start-up or shut-down of work units. They may also participate in safety audits and programs and provide emergency response when required. Other duties in this field include rotating between different processing units during shift cycles, working in a team with shared supervisory responsibilities, and participating in training other workers. Some operators may be cross-trained in a skilled trade and work in the trade during shift cycles. Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators are employed by petroleum and natural gas processing, pipeline and petrochemical companies, and by industrial, agricultural and specialty chemical and pharmaceutical companies.

Pulping control operators co-ordinate and monitor the operation of screening equipment, washing equipment, digesters, mixing tanks and other pulp processing equipment. This is usually done from automated panel boards in a central control room to control the processing of wood, scrap pulp and other cellulose materials. Pulping control operators also observe panel indicators, gauges, video monitors and other instruments from their central control room to detect equipment malfunctions and to ensure that pulp processes are operating within prescribed production limits. They may also be responsible for analyzing instrument readings and production test samples and for making adjustments or directing pulp machine operators to make adjustments to pulp production processes and equipment as required. Operators may also complete and maintain production reports. They are employed by pulp and paper companies.

Papermaking and coating control operators operate, co-ordinate and monitor the operation of papermaking and papercoating process equipment from a central control room or from machine consoles and control panels in equipment cabins. This is done to make paper from pulp stock, to mix chemicals and dyes, and to coat paper products. Operators in this field also control process operations and machinery using a distributed control system and process computers. They also observe panel indicators, gauges, video monitors and other instruments to detect equipment malfunctions and to ensure that papermaking and coating processes are operating according to process specifications.

Papermaking and coating control operators may also be responsible for analyzing instrument readings and production test samples. They also make adjustments or direct other operators to make adjustments to papermaking and coating processes and equipment as required. Some operators in this field may be required to complete and maintain production reports. Papermaking and coating control operators are employed by pulp and paper companies.

Example Titles

Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing:

• console operator - cement manufacturing
• blast furnace operator
• central control room operator
• central control caster
• roaster operator
• rolling mill control operator

Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators:

• master operator - chemical processing
• lead operator - chemical processing
• senior operator - chemical processing
• chief operator - chemical processing
• fractionator operator
• cell room operator, chlor-alkali plant
• petroleum process operator
• liquefaction plant operator
• gas plant operator
• acid plant operator
• pipeline compressor station operator
• pharmaceutical processing operator
• panel operator - chemical processing
• gas field operator
• gas recovery operator
• refinery operator
• senior operating technician
• chemical process operator
• process technician

Pulping control operators:

• thermo mechanical pulp operator
• cook - pulp and paper
• pulping control operator
• beater engineer
• bleach plant operator
• digester operator
• pulping group operator

Papermaking and coating control operators:

• panelboard operator - pulp and paper
• paper coating machine operator
• control operator, paper machine
• paper machine operator
• back tender, paper machine
• fourdrinier machine operator

Training Paths

There are no post-secondary education requirements for these occupations; training is usually provided on the job by the employer. However most machine or process operators have several years of experience in their respective field, usually with the same company or production department. Persons seeking more formal training can take related courses through SIAST or the regional colleges. SIAST offers programs in Power Engineering and Refrigeration/Air Conditioning and a Refrigeration Mechanic/Apprenticeship program, with the technical in-school training at Kelsey Institute in Saskatoon. Lakeland College, in Lloydminster, Alberta offers a Heavy Oil Operation Technician program.

Workers in these areas may benefit from training in Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS). WHMIS training is available through SIAST and regional colleges. Other training programs related to manufacturing and processing include a SIAST diploma program in Integrated Resource Management. This program has specialization in Forestry and Parks Management. Northlands College also offers a similar Forestry Technician program. Due to the risk often involved in manufacturing and processing, central control and process operators might be wise to take a First Aid course from SIAST or one of the regional colleges.

Rig Technician is a newly designated trade in Saskatchewan. The on-the-job training and classroom instruction is currently under development. Pipeline Equipment Operator is a designated trade in Saskatchewan. Individuals wishing to become certified in this trade may apprentice for three years under a certified tradesperson, as well as complete 12 weeks of classroom instruction. Individuals may receive endorsements for one or more of the following: dozer, grader, excavator or sideboom equipment operator. A proficiency certificate will be issued to those who successfully complete the required training.

Trends and Outlooks

The employment prospects for this occupation are: good

After very little change in size between 1995 and 2000, occupations in this industry increased by 27%, according to Statistics Canada. This amounts to an increase of 320 in just five years. The majority of these jobs were in the petroleum, gas and chemical process operators, the largest segment of this occupational group. Of course, employment did not increase for all of these occupations. The number of pulping control operators working in the province decreased slightly.

Outside of new job growth, there may be additional openings due to attrition that is openings due to retirements. In 2006, 36% of all operators were over the age of 45. Some of these older workers will retire in the next five years. However, these are high-paying jobs, and turnover is rare. Central control and process operators in manufacturing and processing are well paid in Saskatchewan. In 2005, the average full-time income for operators in this group was $72,300 per year, well above the provincial full-time average income for all occupations the same year ($42,300 per year).

Incomes are fairly consistent in this occupational group. Full-time papermaking and coating control operators, on average the highest paid operators in this group, earned as much as $85,400 and as little as $57,500 in 2005. Annual incomes for full-time central control and process operators in mineral and metal processing, on average the lowest paid operators in this group, ranged from $24,700 per year to $89,900 per year in 2005.

According to Statistics Canada, 98% of all Saskatchewan central control and process operators in manufacturing and processing were male in 2006. Employment for these fields of work is found throughout Saskatchewan; only 23% of provincial employment for central control and process operators in manufacturing and processing was based in Regina or Saskatoon in 2006. The majority of all supervisors in processing occupations are employed year round on a full-time basis. Less than 30% of the work force in this group worked on a part-time basis in 2005. While not unheard of, self-employment is rare in these fields. Employment in these fields is not very sensitive to overall economic conditions and rarely seasonal.

Professional Associations

Related Occupations

Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing:

• Machine Operators, Mineral and Metal Processing (9411)
• Supervisors, Mineral and Metal Processing (9211)

Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators:

• Chemical Plant Machine Operators (9421)
• Supervisors, Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Processing and Utilities (9212)

Pulping control operators:

• Pulp Mill Machine Operators (9432)
• Supervisors, Forest Products Processing (9215)

Papermaking and coating control operators:

• Papermaking and Finishing Machine Operators (9433)
• Supervisors, Forest Products Processing (9215)