Material Handler
The numerous materials and wastes in a plastics company are shipped, inventoried, and stored safely by the Material Handler.
Job Description
The Plastics Parts Company Ltd. has created a niche in the marketplace by producing custom plastic parts for items such as moulded cell phone cover plates and faces for car stereos. A variety of materials is necessary to make these products. They are ordered from suppliers and, when delivered, are stored within the plant until needed.
A Materials Handler is responsible for the safe storage of these materials and the recycling of waste products from the production line.
Daily Activities
- monitors inventory of materials
- reads work order
- takes delivery of materials
- moves materials within site or to work area
A Materials Handler must have a broad base of knowledge of the storage requirements, drying, transportation, and delivery of resins. It is also important that the Materials Handler be able to use coding technology and equipment related to parts storage and shipment.
The Materials Handler will be responsible for loading, unloading, or moving materials within or near the plant as they are delivered. He or she will read the work order or follow oral instructions to determine whether materials are to be stored or delivered directly to a given work site. These materials must be moved safely within the work site, using hand trucks, electric dollies, wheelbarrows, or other devices.
It will be necessary to open the shipping containers properly using steel cutters, crowbars, or other hand tools. An accurate inventory of the materials delivered or used within a plant is important for effective operations; it will be necessary count, weigh, and record the number of units of material to be moved or handled on daily production sheet.
In moving the materials, proper communication is essential and the Materials Handler should ensure labels or tags clearly identify materials in cases, bales or other containers. At times, it will be necessary to remove samples of materials, labelled with identifying information, and take them to the laboratory for analysis. The Materials Handler will also have a role in plastics waste separation and recycling.