Plant Operator Advice

[trophy8]

Great stuff above...and maybe i missed it..BE On TIME even a little early...Nobody likes a chronic late relief...Sure everybody has a late day now and then with good reason and everyone understand ...Best of Luck its a great life...they like DONUTS too!!!!!!

Ohhhhh yes. If shift change is at 6, be there at 530-545. Nobody likes that when that one guy rolls in a 5:59 every day lol

[slayr]

Lots of great advice already. I’ll add to always think twice before opening/closing a valve. Think about what is behind the walls of the pipes and what is going to happen if it’s released. I see evidence of complacency everyday and it scares the **** out of me.

[RLHoward]

Listen to what the experienced operators tell you, don't interrupt or act like you already know or have heard it before. Ask questions, don't assume something.

Stay off your phone and out of the control room unless you are training on something in there.

If something is going on in another area go help, even if you aren't training or trained in that area.

Help keep the control room clean and make your you clean up after yourself, don't leave dishes out or in the sink, if the trash can is close to being full take it out and put a new bag in.

Don't brown nose or be a story topper or know someone that has done it bigger and better.

Good luck, there may be a little hazing but take it in stride, they were all in your shoes when they started.

This is spot on !! I retired 2 years ago after 32 years as a operator. If even half of the new hires would follow this . I might have made a few more years !!!!

[megger89]

Back when I started in 2013, in the lab, @Arrowed C told me there was an unwritten rule that if you worked OT you were responsible for bring in (2) 1/2 gallons of Blue Bell ice cream for everyone to enjoy. If you didn't have time to get the ice cream you were responsible for breakfast or dinner for your crew.

[stickemhard3]

Study P&IDs. Learn your pipe and flows. Learn about the how and what and why. Know the place inside out. DONT BE LAZY.

Probably don’t tell em you were an engineer

If you want to be the best it takes effort and dedication.

Take any training schools they offer. Study online. There’s a lot of material for distillation columns, heaters, boilers, amine systems, etc. Idk your specific plant but there will be plenty of literature about it. Use it. Know it.

Never completely trust your instrumentation. Don’t rely on that computer. Verify levels, temps, pressures locally when available. When trouble shooting keep it stupid simple.

9/10 operators aren’t good at it. They just keep it between the ditches. Be good enough to handle any situation and remain calm and you’ll go far.

Team work is important. One man can’t run the facility by himself. Work together. Learn together. Succeed together.

I love my job and what I do. It’s a solid career. You’ll make great money and should have plenty of time off. Congrats on the new job and enjoy it!

Solid advice. Know your P&ID's forward and backward IN THE FIELD PHYSICALLY and on paper.

Understand that HYSYS or other simulation software just give you a basis or a predictor. Trust the lab results and your own eyes over the software.

[Traildust]

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[zztex]

Operators are an easy bunch, just bring some breakfast tacos on occasion and you’ll be golden.

😂👍
Help the old guys, they will appreciate it.
Don’t be lazy

[tex8569]

If youre an engineer, you may like a book called Petrochemicals in Nontechnical Language to read at home and answer questions from the day. Im assuming youre doing PetChem in Channelview. He also has Refineries, Pipelines, and Production.

[brokeno]

Get your rest. Make sure you have a dark and quiet room to get your sleep. Make sure your family understands your schedule and that you are going to be missing holidays, birthdays, parties, kids sporting events and on and on. Good luck on your new job.

[PondPopper]

Pretty much everything you need to know has been stated above. If you spend anytime at all in this field you will meet every character in the book, some good and a few bad and some that you never knew existed. I've been an operator for 30 years and when I think I've seen them all here comes another clown..

Whatever you do do not be one of those that are going to "fake it until you make it".. Plenty do and some will even tell you that's what they are doing(no shame it pays the same)..Those types of operators are dangerous.. Plants are not candy factories and you can get hurt or die quickly and usually it's from someone else screwing up.
LEARN YOUR JOB because your supervisor may not know anything.(Been there)... Do not be afraid of learning board jobs. A lot of guys do not want the responsibility that a board job carries so they avoid them and work outside their entire careers. Some places it is mandatory you learn a board job and some it is not. Why that is I will never understand.
Good luck.

[eaglegolfj]

Do not use channel locks to beat on electrical stuff.

[Hammerdown]

Do not use channel locks to beat on electrical stuff.

False! Always beat instruments with your channel locks. The I&E techs love it when you do this. This is one way an operator provides them with job security.

[PondPopper]

Do not use channel locks to beat on electrical stuff.

Do not leave the control room without channel locks.. They come in handy in a pinch!!

[kcmarullo]

Trust your I&E techs.

[panhandlehunter]

False! Always beat instruments with your channel locks. The I&E techs love it when you do this. This is one way an operator provides them with job security.

That’s not true. If you get the urge to bang on a instrument with your channel locks, take a step back and call a professional.