Hydrogenation machine operator

Hydrogenation machine operators control equipment to process base oils for manufacture of margarine and shortening products.

The following job titles also refer to hydrogenation machine operator:

hydrogenation machine operative
hydrogenator
hydrogenation operator
hydrogenation process operator

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a hydrogenation machine operator.

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.

Hydrogenation machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to hydrogenation machine operator.

clarifier
blending plant operator
refining machine operator
oil mill operator
fat-purification worker

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

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
malt house supervisor
water treatment systems operator
food production planner

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of hydrogenation machine operator.

• Mechanical tools: Understand machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Principles of mechanical engineering: Understand principles of mechanical engineering, physics, and materials science.
• Chemical processes: The relevant chemical processes used in manufacture, such as purification, separation, emulgation and dispergation processing.
• Temperature scales: Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales.
• Hydrogenation processes for edible oils: Hydrogenation processes of different oils which reduce saturation and affect physical properties such as melting point and taste.

These skills are necessary for the role of hydrogenation machine operator.

• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Tend mixing oil machine: Use machines to weigh and mix vegetable oils for products, such as salad oils, shortening and margarine, according to formula.
• Administer ingredients in food production: Ingredients to be added and the required amounts according to the recipe and the way those ingredients are to be administered.
• Be at ease in unsafe environments: Be at ease in unsafe environments like being exposed to dust, rotating equipment, hot surfaces, sub-freezing and cold storage areas, noise, wet floors and moving lift equipment.
• Control flow of matter used in oil processing: Adjust rate of flow of hydrogen, steam, air and water into converter. Weigh and add specified amounts of catalytic agents and other chemicals to harden batch of oils or fats.
• Maintain mechanical equipment: Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect malfunction. Service, repair, adjust, and test machines, parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical principles. Maintain and repair vehicles meant for cargo, passengers, farming and landscaping.
• Assess oil hardness: Assess samples to make sure that hardness of oils are in accordance with specifications.
• Perform preliminary operations for oil extraction: Perform preliminary operations to raw materials such as cracking, shelling and dehulling before the oil extraction.
• Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
• Assess hydrogenation levels of edible oils: Assess levels of hydrogenation of edible oils. Make them appealing to the consumer, convenient to use, easy to store, and resistant to deterioration.
• Pump products: Operate pumping machines according to specific procedures and depending on the kind of product. Ensure correct quantities and adequate feeding for the process.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
• Assess quality characteristics of food products: Assess quality characteristics of food products in terms of the main properties (e.g. physical, sensorial, chemical, technological, etc.) for raw materials, half-finished products, as well as finish products.
• Monitor temperature in manufacturing process of food and beverages: Monitor and control required temperatures in the different phases of production until the product reaches suitable properties according to specifications.
• Monitor oil blending process: Monitor the blending process of oil. Make adjustments to blending process according to results of tests.

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

• Origin of dietary fats and oils: The distinction between dietary fats that come fromanimals and oils derived from vegetables.
• Components of oil seeds: Chemical constituents of oil seeds, hull content, oil content and the effect of planting and harvesting at the right time for oil extraction.
• Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
• Oil seed process: Oil seed process from cleaning the oil bearing seed, decorticating the seed, crushing, conditioning and heating, to filtering and neutralising.
• Alkali stages of refining processes for edible oils: Stages of the alkali refining process for edible oils which include heating, conditioning, neutralising, re-refining, washing of oils.
• Chemistry: The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.
• Mechanical engineering applicable to edible oil seed: Applying mechanical engineering principles to edible oil seed such as the installation of machinery, repair, and welding practices, steam equipment installation and the applications of this equipment in the processing of oil seeds and the production of the oil.
• Free fatty acid elimination processes: The processes for the refining of edible oils and fats to eliminate free fatty acids (FFA). This includes the physical refining, a process that builds on the lower boiling point of the free fatty acids compared to the boiling point of the triglyceride oil, and also chemical or alkaline refining, where an alkali is used to neutralise the free fatty acids.

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

• Check sensorial parameters of oils and fats: Check sensorial parameters of olive oils, seed oils and edible fats such as taste, smell and touch.
• Set up equipment for food production: Set up machinery and equipment for food production. Make sure that controls, settings, and input requirements are according to the required standards.
• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Use logical reasoning: Use cognitive abilities to make decisions and to move logically from one idea to another.
• Lift heavy weights: Lift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.
• Dispose food waste: Dispose or collect food waste with the purpose of recycling or throwing away from the production process. Follow established procedures for their disposal taking care of the environment and the safety matters according to legislations.
• Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
• Exert quality control to processing food: Ensure the quality of all factors involved in a food production process.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.
• Interpret data in food manufacturing: Interpret data from different sources, like market data, scientific papers, and customers requirements in order to research development and innovation in food sector.
• Label samples: Label raw material/ product samples for laboratory checks, according to implemented quality system.

8160 – Food and related products machine operators

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References

1. Hydrogenation machine operator – ESCO