Boiler Operator – Pressure Equipment
Job Description
To operate and monitor the mill’s steam-generation plant safely and efficiently, maintaining the required steam pressure, temperature, water level, combustion conditions and steam availability for the production process.
Minimum Requirements / Qualifications
- Grade 12, preferably with Mathematics and Physical Science
- N2 or N3 Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical Engineering would be advantageous
- Recognised boiler-operator or steam-plant operating training
- Training applicable to the specific boiler type, capacity, fuel and control system
- Competency in boiler water treatment and testing
- Ability to read operating gauges, trends, alarms and process-control displays
- Previous industrial boiler-house experience, preferably in pulp, paper, FMCG, timber or continuous-process manufacturing
- Typically three to five years’ relevant operating experience for an independent operator
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Starting up and shutting down boilers according to approved procedures
- Monitoring steam pressure, temperature, feedwater level and fuel combustion
- Operating burners, pumps, fans, valves, water-treatment and blowdown systems
- Maintaining boiler-house logbooks and recording operating readings
- Responding to alarms, pressure deviations and abnormal conditions
- Performing routine inspections and first-line fault identification
- Controlling boiler efficiency, fuel consumption and steam losses
- Isolating equipment safely for maintenance
- Reporting defects, leaks and safety-device failures immediately