Jobs / Physical work / 51-4051.00
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
- US jobs
- 16,780
- Median wage
- $54,430 a year
- Job family
- Physical work
Can agents do the work of metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Physical work:
- Task levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.
- Project levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.
Unexplored territory
No benchmark in this atlas covers this work yet.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
- Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
- Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
- Record production data, and maintain production logs.
- Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
- Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
- Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
- Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
- Kindle fires, and shovel fuel and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operators.
- Prepare material to load into furnaces, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, by using crushing machines, shovels, rakes, or sprayers.
- Remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
- Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
Other job titles for this occupation (80)
Arc and Argon Oxygen Decarburization Melter (ARC and AOD Melter) · Automatic Furnace Operator · Central Melt Specialist · Control Room Operator · Electric Melt Operator · Furnace Operator · Melt Room Operator · Melter · Vacuum Melter · Vessel Operator · Backbreaker · Bessemer Converter Blower · Bessemer Converter Operator · Bessemer Regulator · Blade Bender Furnace Tender · Blast Furnace Blower · Blast Furnace Keeper · Blast Furnace Operator · Blast Furnace Tender · Blower Operator · Burner · Burner Tender · Cadmium Burner · Charge Operator · Charger · Charger Operator · Charging Machine Operator · Coke Burner · Coke Drawer · Condenser Setter · Converter · Converter Operator · Converter Skimmer · Cooler Operator · Copper Tapper · Cover Operator · Crucible Furnace Tender · Cupola Melter · Cupola Operator · Cupola Tender · Desilverizer · Electric Arc Furnace Operator · Electric Furnace Operator · Fettler · Fire Regulator · Flux Plant Operator · Flux Tube Attendant · Furnace Charger · Furnace Checker · Furnace Door Tender · Furnace Filler · Furnace Firer · Furnace Hand · Furnace Keeper · Furnace Loader · Furnace Puncher · Furnace Roaster · Furnace Tapper · Gas Reverser · Gas Tender · Hearth Feeder · Hot Baller · Hot Blast Worker · Hot Car Charger · Hot Iron Worker · Hot Metal Car Operator · Hot Metal Charger · Induction Furnace Operator · Ingot Passer · Iron Caster · Iron Founder · Iron Melter · Kettle Skimmer · Kettle Worker · Kiln Burner · Kiln Firer · Kiln Operator · Kiln Packer · Kiln Tender · Lead Furnace Operator