Chemical plant control room operator

Description

Chemical plant control room operators monitor and inspect remotely the production systems during their shift, reporting all anomalies and incidents using the required systems. They operate the control room panels and ensure the safety of production workers and production equipment.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to chemical plant control room operator:

closed-circuit television control room operator
control room attendant
manufacturing control room operator
production monitor
panel board operator
production control room operator
CCTV control room operator

Minimum qualifications

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a chemical plant control room operator.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Chemical plant control room operator is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Chemical plant control room operator career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to chemical plant control room operator.

plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisor
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chemical processing plant controller
mine surveying technician
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Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of chemical plant control room operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of chemical plant control room operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

cosmetic chemist
defence administration officer
court administrator
aviation surveillance and code coordination manager
chemical production manager

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of chemical plant control room operator.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of chemical plant control room operator.

  • Optimise production processes parameters: Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process, such as flow, temperature or pressure.
  • Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
  • Create incident reports: Fill in an incident report after an accident has happened at the company or facility, such as an unusual event that caused an occupational injury to a worker.
  • Report on possible hazards: Communicate hazard risks and malfunctioning equipment so that incidents are quickly dealt with.
  • Control minor maintenance: Follow up on the maintenance and repairs to be carried out. Solve minor problems and pass harder problems on to the person responsible for maintenance.
  • React to mining emergencies: Quickly respond to emergency calls. Provide appropriate assistance and direct first response team to an incident scene.
  • Monitor environmental parameters: Check the impact of manufacturing machinery on the environment, analysing temperature levels, water quality and air pollution.
  • Control production flow remotely: Control remotely the flow of production from the start-up operations to the shutdown of the equipments and systems, using the control panel.
  • Use communication equipment: Set up, test and operate different types of communication equipment such as transmission equipment, digital network equipment, or telecommunications equipment.
  • Monitor plant production: Monitor the plant processes set-up and efficiency to ensure the maximum output production levels.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of chemical plant control room operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Good manufacturing practices: Regulatory requirements and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) applied in the relevant manufacturing sector.
  • Manufacturing plant equipment: The characteristics and functioning conditions of manufacturing plant equipments such as chemical reactors, addition tanks, pumps, filters, mixers.
  • Sales strategies: The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of chemical plant control room operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Manage administrative systems: Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.
  • Manage data: Administer all types of data resources through their lifecycle by performing data profiling, parsing, standardisation, identity resolution, cleansing, enhancement and auditing. Ensure the data is fit for purpose, using specialised ICT tools to fulfil the data quality criteria.
  • Report on production results: Report on production to the hierarchy. Mention a specified set of parameters, such as amount produced and timing, and any issues or unexpected occurrences.
  • Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught theย necessary skills for the perspectiveย job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.

ISCO group and title

3133 – Chemical processing plant controllers


References
  1. Chemical plant control room operator – ESCO
Last updated on March 11, 2023

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