Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
Table of contents
What they do
Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
- Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
- Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
- Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
- Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity.
Typical day
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On a daily basis, Cleaning Equipment Operators adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns. They load machines with objects to be processed and unload them after cleaning, placing them on conveyors or racks.
- Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods, or suction tubes.
- Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
- Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
- Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
- Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Cleaning Equipment Operators also add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations. They may also measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods, or suction tubes.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Cleaning Equipment Operators draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity. They might also drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
In addition, they record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.
To some Cleaning Equipment Operators, it is also their responsibility to operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
Demand for this career is not growing.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $24,060 to $27,720 per year or $12 to $13 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $49,740 | $24 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $39,750 | $19 |
| Median | $32,230 | $15 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $27,720 | $13 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $24,060 | $12 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $57510 | $27.65 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $43380 | $20.85 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $42070 | $20.23 |
| Nonferrous Metal Production and Processing | $40770 | $19.60 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $40380 | $19.42 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | $39870 | $19.17 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | $37790 | $18.17 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $37520 | $18.04 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $36840 | $17.71 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $36520 | $17.56 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 1820 | $30640 | $14.73 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 1280 | $35640 | $17.14 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 1170 | $34050 | $16.37 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 1040 | $34540 | $16.61 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 850 | $34100 | $16.39 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 770 | $39870 | $19.17 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 400 | $40380 | $19.42 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 360 | $36150 | $17.38 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 320 | $36840 | $17.71 |
| Support Activities for Crop Production | 310 | $32390 | $15.57 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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