What Do Mine Cutting Machine Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Mine Cutting Machine Operators operate machinery such as longwall shears, plows, and cutting machines to cut or channel along the face or seams of coal mines, stone quarries, or other mining surfaces to facilitate blasting, separating, or removing minerals or materials from mines or from the Earth’s surface. Includes shale planers. They also position jacks, timbers, or roof supports, and install casings, to prevent cave-ins.

Other tasks include:

• Move planer levers to control and adjust the movement of equipment, the speed, height, and depth of cuts, and to rotate swivel cutting booms.
• Reposition machines and move controls to make additional holes or cuts.
• Cut entries between rooms and haulage ways.
• Cut slots along working faces of coal, salt, or other non-metal deposits to facilitate blasting, by moving levers to start the machine, and to control the vertical reciprocating drills.
• Signal that machine plow blades are properly positioned, using electronic buzzers or two-way radios.
• Cut and move shale from open pits.

We asked Mine Cutting Machine Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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63% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 56% 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, Mine Cutting Machine Operators advance plow blades through coal strata by remote control, according to electronic or radio signals from the tailer. They cut and move shale from open pits.

A typical day for a Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operator will also include:

• Reposition machines and move controls to make additional holes or cuts.
• Move planer levers to control and adjust the movement of equipment, the speed, height, and depth of cuts, and to rotate swivel cutting booms.
• Signal that machine plow blades are properly positioned, using electronic buzzers or two-way radios.
• Remove debris such as loose shale from channels and planer travel areas.
• Move controls to start and position drill cutters or torches and advance tools into mines or quarry faces to complete horizontal or vertical cuts.

We asked some Mine Cutting Machine 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?	20% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	63% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	87% 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?	23% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	74% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Mine Cutting Machine Operators also free jams in planer hoppers, using metal pinch bars. They may also signal truck drivers to position their vehicles for receiving shale from planer hoppers.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Mine Cutting Machine Operators Charge and set off explosives in blasting holes. They might also Signal crew members to adjust the speed of equipment to the rate of installation of roof supports, and to adjust the speed of conveyors to the volume of coal.

In addition, they Monitor movement of shale along conveyors from hoppers to trucks or railcars.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Advance plow blades through coal strata by remote control, according to electronic or radio signals from the tailer.

To some Mine Cutting Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to Remove debris such as loose shale from channels and planer travel areas.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operator, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per 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.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2013/spring/art02.pdf