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Quarry Worker/Plant Operative

Do you want to become a Quarry Worker/Plant Operative? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Quarries supply processed rock, sand, gravel, minerals, metal ores and coal for many building and industrial processes. They are used in the production of items such as toothpaste, paint, steel, lime, bricks, talcum powder, tarmac, glass, fertiliser, acids, concrete, cement, chemicals, plastics and ceramics. Quarry workers may be:

• machine operators - working with large complex machinery such as excavators
• plant and process operators
• maintenance workers
• drillers - drilling holes for exploration and/or explosives
• shotfirers - working with explosives
• drivers - driving HGV delivery tippers, dump trucks and vehicles in the quarry
• technicians - working in laboratories on quality control or recording site samples
• quarry managers, supervisors and designers.

Salaries start at around £13,000 a year and rise to over £40,000 at senior levels.

The usual working week consists of 37.5 hours. Overtime and shift working are common. Sites are usually situated in rural areas and can be muddy, noisy or dusty.

A quarry worker should:

• have an aptitude for mechanical work
• be strong and have a reasonable level of physical fitness
• be disciplined and aware of the dangers involved in the job
• be able to work with a team
• be able to follow instructions, written and verbal
• be able to do calculations.

Employing companies vary from smaller specialist private companies to international groups. No formal entry qualifications are required for many of the jobs and direct entry from school is possible. Apprenticeships are available. Some of the managerial and specialist job roles require university graduates or people willing to continue their education whilst in full employment.

There are opportunities for adults, particularly those with some experience of the construction industry, mining or mobile plant operation. There is no age limit, and in view of the nature of the work, older applicants are welcome provided they are fit.

Comprehensive training programmes are available leading to relevant NVQs/SVQs in such subjects as Specialised Plant and Machinery Operations, Process Operations, and Health, Safety and Environmental Management in Quarries.

This is an industry where people with the right aptitude may advance at an early age to a senior position. Suitable experience may lead to supervisory positions in the quarry, whilst further educational qualifications can lead to jobs such as laboratory and quality control technicians.

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