Intro to Chemical Manufacturing

Operator Duties & Responsibilities

Role of the Chemical Process Operator

If you are viewing this module, then you have decided to pursue a career as a chemical process operator. Congratulations!  You have selected an exciting, challenging and rewarding profession.  Just listen to what two operators have to say.

Even though you will encounter a lot of variety in your job, a chemical operator’s main role is to monitor and control chemical processes to insure that the company’s finished products are produced safely, efficiently, and according to specification.  To do this, you will work with many different types of industrial equipment like valves, pumps, reactors, cooling towers and distillation columns.  You will monitor complex processes using advanced computer technology known as a distributed control system or DCS. You will troubleshoot problems you encounter with equipment and processes.  You will be expected to communicate effectively, work well with others, and perform your tasks in a safe and environmentally responsible fashion.

A lot will be expected of you.

An overview of these expectations is provided in this module.  Additional information on certain responsibilities - such as safety, quality, and communications - will be covered in the other modules in this course.


The Chemical Manufacturing Facility Part 1

The first thing you probably want to learn more about is your workplace.  You know that chemical plants are large facilities that can cover many acres of land.  You can see several types of equipment and buildings on this land.  But, how is it all organized?  How does it fit together?While chemical facilities can be very different because of the processes they run to make the variety of products needed by consumers, they are typically quite similar in the way they are laid out to manufacture finished products.

First, chemical manufacturing requires raw materials, which will come into the plant in several different ways. Sometimes the raw materials arrive on rail car or truck. These raw materials are unloaded in the Receiving Area then transferred to the Raw Materials Storage Area. One type of raw materials storage area is where the tanks are located. It is often referred to as a tank farm. From the Storage Area, these bulk raw materials are moved to the various Production Areas where they go through chemical and physical processes which transform the raw materials into finished products.

Raw materials might arrive in drums, large sacks or other containers. They can be stored in warehouses and then transferred to the process area. They might even be held in storage rooms in the process area itself. They are transported to the process areas in their containers, through lines, or on conveyors.


The Chemical Manufacturing Facility Part 2

From the Process Areas, the finished products are transported to a Finished Product Storage Area, where they remain until they are needed to fill a customer order.  At that time, the finished products are placed in shipping containers and delivered to the customer.

In very small chemical plants, there may be only one Production Area.  But, in very large facilities, the Production Area is divided up into multiple units.  Each unit is equipped to manufacture one product or family of products.  One unit may use reactors operating in batch mode to produce the finished product.  Another unit may contain distillation columns operating in a continuous mode to produce another finished product.  Of course, these are only two examples of how some operating units can be configured. Many other configurations, designed to produce specific end products, can be found in chemical manufacturing facilities today.


Batch and Continuous Processes

What are “batch” and “continuous” processing modes? Chemical plants use chemical processes to transform raw materials into finished products.  The chemical processes are run in one of the two ways. “Batch” refers to the amount of raw material needed for one operation, or the amount of product created from one operation. In a batch process, the raw materials are fed into the reactor, where the chemical process takes place. When the product and other outputs are removed, the batch process is complete. The unit may be cleaned and reconfigured before a different batch process runs. Or, more batches of the original product may be produced.

In a continuous process, raw materials are supplied, the chemical process takes place, and the end product is removed without interruption. The process continues, rather than starting and stopping like batch processing.  In either situation, most chemical plants operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Shift Work

Most chemical plants require round-the-clock staffing. So the chemical operators work in shifts. Some companies keep their operators on the same shift (days or nights) year round.  Other companies rotate their employees between nights and days throughout the year. Shift lengths are usually 8 hours, 10 hours or 12 hours in length.  Shift rotations can be 5 days, 4 days or 3 days depending on the length of the work day.  A lot of shift workers like the 12 hour shifts because they get more total days off.  One of the challenges of shift work is that you are working against your body’s normal sleep/wake cycle. This makes it extremely important that you adjust your sleeping, eating, and other activities to minimize the strain on your health.

You can learn to manage the impact of shift work on your body, your relationships with friends and family, and your social life.


Working Conditions

Now that you’ve seen some of the possible schedules you might work, let’s look at what the environments are like.

Chemical operators will be assigned tasks that will require them to work inside buildings as well as outside.  Some days you may be in a control room monitoring your processes from a Distributed Control System (DCS) for your entire shift.  Other days you may be working outside collecting samples or checking equipment.  And, on other occasions, you may work need to work inside for part of your shift and outside for the rest of your shift.  Or, you may be permanently assigned to an outside job or an inside job.  It all depends on what your area’s staffing needs are and the experience and training of the operators in the unit.


Control Room Conditions

If you work in a control room, you will find the atmosphere very much like an “office job.” The room will be air-conditioned or heated. You will sit at a computer desk to run the DCS. You may be responsible for a few screens that are at your workstation. Or, you may work in a control room where there are screens not only on your desk but also suspended on the walls. Or, instead of watching data generated on the screen, you might be watching a live broadcast of a piece of equipment in the field that’s being filmed in real-time. You may be doing a combination of all of these. Not surprisingly, the control room may be dim, with lower lighting than most offices, so that you can monitor the screens with less eye strain.

In most control rooms, you will be working with other inside operators. You may be responsible for a single part of a process or more than one part. For instance, in one unit, a process is conducted over four areas. One inside operator might be responsible for the mixer, while another operates the other processing units. Once you have trained and been certified to run a part of the process, you may be assigned to serve as a control room operator for that portion of the process.

Although the control room is an easier physical environment to work in than working outside in the elements, there also can be a lot of pressure when the process experiences an upset. When alarms are sounding and lights are flashing, you must stay calm to resolve the situation. Safety, quality and profitability are largely dependent on your ability to stay focused and bring the process back into control.


Outside Conditions

The term “outside operator” refers to an operator who does not work in the control room. Sometimes this operator is called a field operator. When you are an outside operator, you work with the equipment used to process the chemicals, wherever it is located. Sometimes your equipment is inside. Other times, you will have to work out-of-doors. So whether it is raining or during the heat of the summer, if it’s dark and snowing or a lovely day, you are responsible for the physical side of the process.

The work areas for an outside operator can vary greatly. Some areas are small, with all unit equipment positioned close together and easily accessible. Other areas have equipment spread out, and you have to walk longer distances to get to your equipment. You may work with a process that is in a building that is several stories high that does not have elevators, requiring you to take the stairs. Or, you may have tanks to inspect that require you to climb ladders on a regular basis. You may partner with one or more inside operators.

Standards are set by regulatory agencies and the company to make sure that you have the knowledge and tools to work safely in the range of conditions you’ll encounter as an outside operator. For instance, although it’s not always the most comfortable choice, outside operators usually wear long sleeves and pants when working in the field. Companies often supply coveralls, coats and rain gear for outside operators. They will supply the necessary personal protective equipment, like hard hats and ear plugs.

Many operators find working as an outside operator to be both challenging and stimulating at the same time. The skill and experience of the operator in managing the physical conditions, while being responsible for the physical components of the process directly impact safety, quality and profitability.


Expectations Overview

In addition to having different working environments, the inside operator and outside operator have different responsibilities. The inside operator focuses on the actual chemical process, while the outside operator is focused on the equipment. The inside operator analyzes the data that’s coming from the instruments and the lab. The outside operator serves as the eyes and ears for the inside operator and lets him or her know what’s happening in the field.  Together these two roles ensure that the unit runs the way it was designed and built to run.


Control Room Expectations

Since the introduction of the DCS, the role of the operator has changed significantly. The DCS is a networked computer system that lets the inside, or control room, operator monitor the overall process of a unit to ensure that process is running in ‘steady state’ condition. If you detect any deviations when working as a control room operator, you will make the changes necessary to bring the process back to normal. You will read computer screens to monitor tank levels, process flows, pressures, and temperatures. When the DCS sends an alarm to indicate that something in the process needs attention, you will use your job knowledge and work experience, and the knowledge of your coworkers, to determine how to resolve the situation.

The inside operator stays in contact with the outside operator to confirm how the plant is operating. You will confirm what you see on the DCS by requesting that the outside operator make physical checks on the equipment and report the findings. You also will request special samples be taken and analyzed in the lab, if there is a possibility that the product may not be within specification. When the lab results are returned, you’ll determine whether they are normal and adjust if necessary.

You will be taught how to respond in all situations--including startup, normal operating conditions, shutdown and emergencies. You’ll use the written procedures in each case to direct you. You will keep notes about the conditions during your shift in the logbook. This information will be helpful in troubleshooting, cross-shift communication, emergencies, and audits.


Outside Expectations

The outside operator, or field operator, is responsible for ensuring the equipment is running correctly, meaning that there are no leaks, spills, strange noises or vibrations, or other unusual behavior.  To do this you will use your senses of sight, hearing, touch and smell to recognize abnormal situations. Then you’ll report them to the inside operators.  You will make adjustments to the equipment, like opening and closing valves and adjusting pumps. You’ll take samples that are scheduled as part of your normal work procedures, as well as any special samples requested by the inside operator or management.

If a piece of equipment needs to be repaired, you will shut it down and apply the appropriate locks or tags to ensure it can’t be accidentally engaged. When the equipment is repaired, you bring it back online.

As an outside operator, you will be taught how to respond in all situations--including startup, normal operating conditions, shutdown and emergencies. You’ll use the written procedures in each case to direct you. As you go through your shift, yo