re: Can someone please tell me wtf a plant operator is and what they do?

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When you say plants, what exactly does this plant do? If my above assumption is correct, does it have something to do with the extraction of resources? Refining them? I have no idea.

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I work at a chemical plant, we take some chemicals like chlorine and run it through the process (heating, cooling, pressure, etc) and create different types chemicals.

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'll assume the operator is the head boss of the plant. From what I undersatnd, this person makes a shite ton of money. What exactly does this job entail? What does the operator do on a day to day basis?

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Monitor tanks levels, flow rates, temperatures. Open and close valves and equipment checks. Monitor maintenance, prep equipment and piping for them as well.

I'm not a "typical " operator I that I don't work shift work. I work 4/10s, scheduled off on holidays, and average about 3-400 hrs of OT a year.

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kingbob

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You made a perfect post. Congrats!

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The operator is not the head boss. Operators "operate" the plant. They monitor how the plant is running and make adjustments to keep it running. They don't do a whole lot most of the time, but they work a lot of hours (people have to man the plan 24 hours/day) and they are really needed if something goes wrong. The plant manager is the boss. 

There are 3 main types of people working at the plant: operators (employed by the plant, make lots of OT), engineers (employed by the plant, make little or no OT and report directly to management), and contractors (construction workers who maintain the plant or build expansions and new units (hired by management but have their own bosses). 
They mostly watch tv screens and monitor the plant's activities. They also check to see if equipment needs to be serviced or replaced. During "turnarounds" (when the plant shuts down for maintenance), they make sure that pipes are cleaned out and that machines are shut down and can't be accidentally turned on while the contractors service the plant. 

Plant workers generally aren't college educated and make a lot more than most college educated people. This breeds a lot of snobbery on both sides. They generally aren't dumb, but they're not exactly einsteins either. They generally have a high mechanical aptitude and lots of field knowledge but aren't exactly "book" smart. 

They pay a lot because the environment is extremely dangerous. If something goes wrong (which does happen), the operators are the first round of defense to stop something catastrophic from happening. It's also work that requires a lot of knowledge to perform well. Also, they work a LOT of OT, often 20 hours or more OT/week.

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Solid 3 year bump

“Plants” are chemical plants and refineries. Most of these chemical plants take some sort of petroleum feed stock (natural gas or oil) and use that to make another product or component like fertilizer, plastics, foam, hydrogen peroxide, liquified gas (oxygen, nitrogen, nitrous, etc), or refined petroleum products like asphault, lube oil, gasoline, diesel, and heating oil.

Operaters make a lot of money because:
A. They work a ton of hours, often on 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week during turnarounds (when plant units are shut down for maintenance).
B. They often work night shifts
C. The work is dangerous because plants have a bad habit of exploding

This is work that is often done by high school grads with associate degrees in PTEC. It mostly consists of watching monitors to ensure processes are running smoothly, and occassionally turning valves when necessary to shut off feeds, take test samples, or restore service.

Plants are basically giant plumbing assemblies filled with explosives, so it’s a pretty technical field.

Plants are mostly located along deep draft ocean ports like along the Mississippi River between BR & Nola, near Mobile, Houston Ship Channel, Corpus Christi, Lake Charles, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.