Heat Treating Equipment Operators
On the Job
Heating Treating Equipment Operators set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment. These machines are used to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
Physical Demands 
This career requires time standing, walking, or running.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
- Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
- Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Position raw materials on processing or production equipment.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment.
- Operate heating or drying equipment.
- Clean production equipment.
Typical Working Conditions
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Standing.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Working indoors in non-environmentally controlled conditions.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- Working with a group or team.
- Frequent decision-making.
- Exposure to hazardous equipment.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
