94110 – Chemical plant machine operators
Lead statement
Chemical plant machine operators monitor and operate units and machinery to blend, mix, process and package a wide range of specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cleaning and toiletry products.
Main duties
- Monitor meters, gauges and electronic instrumentation on one or more chemical processing or formulation units, such as mixers, kettles, blenders, dryers, tabletting, encapsulation, granulation and coating machines
- Measure, weigh and load chemical ingredients following formulation cards
- Start up, shut down, troubleshoot and clean equipment
- Adjust processing machines and equipment
- Monitor reaction processes and transfers of products in conformance with safety procedures
- Take samples and perform routine chemical and physical tests of products
- Record production data
- May operate equipment from a control room or from control consoles located near the production units.
Employment requirements
- Certification in the transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), forklift operator certification, first aid, firefighting, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) and other health and safety training may be required for some occupations in this unit group.
- Completion of additional training may be required for some operators working in pharmaceutical, explosives and agricultural chemical or in specialty chemical plants.
- Completion of several weeks of on-the-job training or informal/formal company training is usually required.
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Previous experience in chemical products processing as an assistant, labourer or helper may be required for some occupations in this unit group.
Example job titles
acetylene plant attendant · acid pumper - chemical processing · acidulation plant tender · asphalt heater tender · asphalt plant dryer tender · asphalt roofing material mixer · asphalt roofing materials inspector · autoclave operator - chemical processing · backing-in machine tender · batch mixer - chemical processing · batch still operator · battery acid adjuster · battery paste mixer · black powder grainer and glazier tender · black powder press tender · oil bleacher · bleaching solution maker · blender operator - chemical processing · cadmium liquor maker · calciner tender · capsule filler - chemical processing · capsule machine operator - chemical processing · grinder tender - chemical processing · carbon black pelletizer · cellulose film caster - chemical processing · cellulose film rewinder · centrifugal separator tender - chemical processing · centrifuge tender - chemical processing · charcoal burner - chemical processing · chemical plant machine operator · chemical processing machine operator · pulverizer and sifter tender - chemical processing · chiller operator - chemical processing · chiller tender - chemical processing · cleaning compounds mixer · asphalt coater - chemical processing · coating compounds mixer - chemical processing · coating machine tender - chemical processing · coke by-products pump operator - chemical processing · colour grinder tender - chemical processing
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $18.44 | $25.48 | $40.00 |
| New Brunswick | $22.73 | $29.83 | $48.49 |
| Quebec | $19.00 | $27.00 | $40.00 |
| Ontario | $17.85 | $24.04 | $35.00 |
| Manitoba | $19.00 | $22.00 | $38.92 |
| Alberta | $21.00 | $32.69 | $60.10 |
| British Columbia | $18.47 | $22.00 | $28.65 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.