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Job Definition
Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.
Job Zone

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Interests
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Knowledge
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Skills
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Tasks
Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.
Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials.
Unload cars containing liquids by connecting hoses to outlet plugs and pumping compressed air into cars to force liquids into storage tanks.
Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.
Start pumps and adjust valves or cables in order to regulate the flow of products to vessels, utilizing knowledge of loading procedures.
Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.
Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing.
Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.
Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters, in order to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.
Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.
Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles.
Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles.
Wages

In 2008, the California average annual wage was $45,430.00.

Most people employed in this occupation were paid between $24,890.00 and $75,160.00.

Outlook

During 2006, there were approximately 2,700 people employed in this field in California. It is projected that there will be 3,200 employed in 2016. This occupation will have about 50 openings due to growth and about 50 replacement openings for approximately 100 total annual openings. This occupation .

Colleges and Training
There are currently no programs listed for this occupation.
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