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Painting/Coating/Spraying Machine Worker

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AVG. SALARY

$42,620

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EDUCATION

High school preferred +

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Career Video

About This Career

Sets up, operates, or tends spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Disposes of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
  • Holds or positions spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
  • Sprays prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
  • Monitors painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and corrects their causes.
  • Fills hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
  • Disassembles, cleans, and reassembles sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
  • Cleans equipment and work areas.
  • Starts and stops operation of machines, using levers or buttons.
  • Applies rust-resistant undercoats and caulks and seals seams.
  • Determines paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
  • 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.
  • Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals 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 use of special protective items such as a breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suit, or radiation protection
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves walking or running 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
  • Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
  • Seeing clearly at a distance
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

  • Regular working hours and limited travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Painter
  • Coater Operator
  • Hand Sprayer
  • Industrial Painter
  • Paint Technician (Paint Tech)
  • Powder Coater — Sets up and operates three stage washer, dryer, bake over and powder coating equipment.
  • Spray Painter
  • Automotive Painter (Auto Painter)
  • Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech)
  • Top Coater