Air separation plant operator
Also known as: oxygen gas plant operator, oxygen plant operator, air separation plant production operative, air separation plant production worker, air separation plant operative, air separation plant production operator
About this occupation
Air separation plant operators control and maintain the equipment for nitrogen and oxygen extraction from air, ensuring the required operational parameters of pressure, flow and temperature are met. They perform product purity tests and monitor its transfer to storage tanks or to fill cylinders.
A specialisation of chemical processing plant controller.
Essential skills and knowledge
- basic chemicals
- chemical preservation
- control air flow
- operate gas extraction equipment
- transfer oxygen
- test oxygen purity
- optimise production processes parameters
- characteristics of chemicals used for tanning
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Chemical Plant and System Operators (O*NET 51-8091.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
- Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
- Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
- Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings.
- Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
- Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension
US median pay: US$78,120 a year (2025), 16,610 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (4.3)
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryVery important (4.3)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (4.3)
- PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsVery important (3.7)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.1)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Power Plant Operators
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Gas Plant Operators
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.