Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

What you'd actually do

• Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
• Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
• Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
• Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
• Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
• Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tender make?

The median pay is $23.34 per hour — roughly $48,500 a year, with the real range running from about $17.56/hr (10th percentile) to $33.29/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tender?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tender actually do all day?

Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions. Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools. Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.