Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

Connect ground cables to carry off static electricity when unloading tanker cars.

Verify tank car, barge, or truck load numbers to ensure car placement accuracy based on written or verbal instructions.

Observe positions of cars passing loading spouts, and swing spouts into the correct positions at the appropriate times.

Seal outlet valves on tank cars, barges, and trucks.

Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing.

Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.

Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.

Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.

Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.

Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.

Check conditions and weights of vessels to ensure cleanliness and compliance with loading procedures.

Clean interiors of tank cars or tank trucks, using mechanical spray nozzles.

Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles.

Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.

Unload cars containing liquids by connecting hoses to outlet plugs and pumping compressed air into cars to force liquids into storage tanks.

Copy and attach load specifications to loaded tanks.

Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.

Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.

Perform general warehouse activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory, and weighing and checking materials.