Wood treater

Wood treaters apply treatments to wood to make it resistant to environmental factors like mould, cold, moisture, or staining. Treatments may also contribute to the colour of the wood. Wood treaters may use chemicals, heat, gasses, UV light, or a combination of these to treat wood.

The following job titles also refer to wood treater:

wood treatment operative
wood treatment operator
wood treating machine worker
wood treating machine operator
wood treatment technician
wood treating machine technician
wood treatment worker
wood treatment specialist
wood treating machine specialist

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a wood treater. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Wood treater is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to wood treater.

wood drying kiln operator
wood products assembler
nailing machine operator
wood sander
wood pallet maker

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

automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
industrial robot controller
wood assembly supervisor
machine operator supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of wood treater.

• Woodworking processes: Steps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.
• Wood moisture content: The amount of water contained in wood materials. The effect of wood moisture on the size and physical characteristics of the wood. Suitable moisture contents for different uses.
• Types of wood: Types of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.

These skills are necessary for the role of wood treater.

• Stack timber: Stack and align timber in neat and separate layers to make it ready for kiln drying.
• Mix chemicals: Mix chemical substances safely according to recipe, using the proper dosages.
• Record wood treatment information: Record information on wood treatment in the appropriate information system and report it to the correct person.
• Manipulate wood: Manipulate the properties, shape and size of wood.
• Meet contract specifications: Meet contract specifications, schedules and manufacturers’ information. Check that the work can be carried out in the estimated and allocated time.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Move treated wood: Unload, prepare and move freshly treated wood to an appropriate post-treatment drying area.
• Treat wood: Apply different chemicals to wood in order to increase its natural resistance and prevent deterioration.
• Work safely with chemicals: Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
• Supply machine: Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.
• Clean wood surface: Use a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.
• Set up the controller of a machine: Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.

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

• Timber products: Key features, advantages and limitations of the different timbers and timber based products sold at a company and where to access this information.
• Chemical processes: The relevant chemical processes used in manufacture, such as purification, seperation, emulgation and dispergation processing.

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

• Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Operate forklift: Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.
• Carry out measurements of parts: Operate measurement instruments to measure parts of manufactured objects. Take into consideration specifications of manufacturers to perform the measuring.
• Dispose of hazardous waste: Dispose of dangerous materials such as chemical or radioactive substances according to environmental and to health and safety regulations.
• Operate grappler: Operate a hydraulic grappler, an attachment to heavy machinery used to grab and manipulate cylindrical objects such as trees or pipes. Lift up the object, safely manoeuvre it, and set it down in the desired position.
• Monitor stock level: Evaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.
• Work as a team in a hazardous environment: Work together with others in a dangerous, sometimes noisy, environment, such as a building on fire or metal forging facilities, in order to achieve a higher degree of efficiency while heeding the co-workers’ safety.
• Stain wood: Mix ingredients to create a stain and apply a layer to the furniture to give it a specific colour and finish.
• Acclimatise timber: Acclimatise wooden materials to make sure they will not change size after installation, which may cause damage or produce an otherwise inadequate result. Leave the material in climatic circumstances very similar to those in the location where they will be used. Allow several days for the wood to acclimatise, depending on the type and circumstances.
• Identify hazards in the workplace: Perform safety audits and inspections on workplaces and workplace equipment. Ensure that they meet safety regulations and identify hazards and risks.
• Perform machine maintenance: Perform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.
• Clean equipment: Perform cleaning routines after equipment use.
• Dye wood: Mix the powder dye with water and/or liquid dye and any other necessary ingredients to create the desired colour and apply it to the wood.
• Prepare production reports: Prepare a comprehensive and unbiased report on wood technology production and progressive development of wood based materials.
• Dry wood: Adjust machine settings to adapt drying processes, drying times, and special treatments to the requirements of the requested wood to be dried.
• Report defective manufacturing materials: Maintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.
• Check quality of raw materials: Check the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.
• Operate hoists: Operate hoists in order to lift or lower loads.
• Manage timber stocks: Inspect the stock to find out how much is left. Identify any damaged, faulty, or out of date items and move them to the appropriate location. Follow stock rotation methods to ensure stock is used effectively. Handle goods using safe and approved handling methods.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.

7521 – Wood treaters

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References

1. Wood treater – ESCO