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Hand Grinding/Polishing Worker

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AVG. SALARY

$33,120

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EDUCATION

High school preferred +

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JOB OUTLOOK

Decreasing

What They Do

About This Career

Grinds, sands, or polishes, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Grinds, sands, cleans, or polishes objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Verifies quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
  • Moves controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
  • Removes completed workpieces from equipment or work tables, using hand tools, and places workpieces in containers.
  • Measures and marks equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
  • Transfers equipment, objects, or parts to specified work areas, using moving devices.
  • Trims, scrapes, or deburrs objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
  • Repairs and maintains equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
  • Files grooved, contoured, and irregular surfaces of metal objects, such as metalworking dies and machine parts, to conform to templates, other parts, layouts, or blueprint specifications.
  • Marks defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
  • Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
  • Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
  • Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects

Work Hours and Travel

  • Rotating shift work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Buffer
  • Casting Finisher
  • Chipper
  • Deburring Technician
  • Finisher
  • Grinder
  • Jewelry Polisher
  • Knife Grinder
  • Metal Finisher
  • Polisher

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

Support