Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

• Operate or tend stationary engines, boilers, and auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, or air-conditioning equipment, to supply and maintain steam or heat for buildings, marine vessels, or pneumatic tools.
• Activate valves to maintain required amounts of water in boilers, to adjust supplies of combustion air, and to control the flow of fuel into burners.
• Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
• Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems.
• Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
• Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.
• Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
• Monitor and inspect equipment, computer terminals, switches, valves, gauges, alarms, safety devices, and meters to detect leaks or malfunctions and to ensure that equipment is operating efficiently and safely.
• Switch from automatic to manual controls and isolate equipment mechanically and electrically to allow for safe inspection and repair work.
• Perform or arrange for repairs, such as complete overhauls, replacement of defective valves, gaskets, or bearings, or fabrication of new parts.
• Adjust controls and/or valves on equipment to provide power, and to regulate and set operations of system or industrial processes.
• Clean and lubricate boilers and auxiliary equipment and make minor adjustments as needed, using hand tools.