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Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators

ANZSCO ID 712912

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Overview

Snapshot

Employed
2,500
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
90%
Female Share
9%
Average age
44
About this data

Summary

Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators operate plants to load, unload, move, store and stack bulk materials such as grain, sugar and mineral ore.

Specialisations: Bulk Fluids Handler, Conveyor Belt Operator, Grain Handler, Palletiser Operator, Tank Farm Operator (Petroleum).

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator. Some workers have a certificate II in resource processing.

Tasks

  • Assists with physical inventory counts and processes.

  • Completes daily log sheets for bulk plant operations and documents all maintenance activities, as well as time sheets, job sheets and other paperwork for billing purposes.

  • Co-ordinates with outside agencies for shipping of in-bound/out-bound products.

  • Ensures all materials coming into or leaving the plant are properly documented and enters production tickets, goods receipts and shipping documentation.

  • Ensures that materials are properly labelled and that the disposal of materials is handled in a safe manner that complies with environmental standards.

  • Operates vehicles used for transporting bulk products and utilises materials handling equipment, such as loaders, forklifts and pallet jacks, to move materials within the plant.

  • Performs calculations to determine appropriate mixtures, weights and volumes, as well as measuring out the appropriate amount of raw material to meet order specifications.

  • Blends and mixes all bulk products for on-time delivery and as per the programmed design.

  • Packages, labels and loads finished products as per order requirements.

  • Performs daily inspections of bulk plant equipment and materials, maintains all equipment, and ensures bulk plant is kept clean.

Characteristics

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Other Stationary Plant Operators, under the outlook section.

Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 90% of people employed as Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 24 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 50 hours per week in their main job. This is 6 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.

Industries

Main industries

1
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
44.5%
2
Mining
21.6%
3
Wholesale Trade
11.7%
4
Manufacturing
8.2%
5
Other industries
10.4%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

22.3% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

13.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

11.1% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

31.0% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.9% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators All Jobs Average
NSW 22.3 31.6
VIC 13.8 25.6
QLD 20.2 20.0
SA 11.1 7.0
WA 31.0 10.8
TAS 0.9 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 0.0 1.9


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
44
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
9%
All Jobs Average is 48%

  • The median age of Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators is 44 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 9% of the workforce. This is 39 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators All Jobs Average
15-19 1.3 5.0
20-24 7.3 9.3
25-34 19.8 22.9
35-44 22.6 22.0
45-54 25.0 21.6
55-59 13.2 9.0
60-64 8.3 6.0
65 and Over 2.5 4.2
Median Age 44 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.

Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator. Some workers have a certificate II in resource processing.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 2.6 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 4.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 29.6 21.1
Year 12 20.0 18.1
Year 11 10.1 4.8
Year 10 and below 33.6 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.

Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Stationary Plant Operators who communicate well with others, are polite, courteous and reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 55%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 52%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 48%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 45%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 43%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 43%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 43%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 43%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 41%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 41%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 41%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 39%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 39%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 39%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 39%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 37%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 37%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 37%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 75%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 71%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 62%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 60%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 59%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 58%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 58%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 55%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 55%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 55%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 53%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 53%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 49%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 45%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 43%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 42%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 38%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 36%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 36%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 27%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 50%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 50%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 50%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 50%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 50%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 48%

    Auditory attention

    Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.

  • 48%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 48%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 48%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 46%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 46%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 45%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 45%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 43%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 43%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 39%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 38%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 77%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 68%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 66%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 65%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 58%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 57%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 56%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 50%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 46%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 45%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 44%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 44%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 44%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 43%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

  • 41%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 41%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 40%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 40%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 36%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 32%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 95%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 38%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 33%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 14%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 14%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 14%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.

  • 86%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 67%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 52%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 48%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 33%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 29%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:

  • 100%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 96%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 96%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 95%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 91%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 89%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 89%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 86%

    Dangerous conditions

    Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.

  • 84%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

  • 84%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 84%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 83%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 81%

    Work at heights

    Work in high places (e.g., on poles, scaffolding, catwalks, or ladders).

  • 81%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 80%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 79%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 79%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 77%

    Outdoors, under cover

    Work outdoors, under cover (e.g., in an open shed).

  • 77%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 76%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 53-7011.00 - Conveyor Operators and Tenders.

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