What Do Cleaning Equipment Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Cleaning Equipment Operators 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. They also add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns.
• Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
• 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.

We asked Cleaning Equipment Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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61% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

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.

We asked some Cleaning Equipment Operators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	46% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	62% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	23% said yes

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.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Cleaning, Washing and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator and Tender, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends 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.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

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