Plant Operator

Airgas•Hopewell, VA

About The Position

The primary function of this job is the safe operation and maintenance of Airgas Merchant Gas production facilities. The Production Technician I is responsible for maintaining plant production, operating efficiency, regulatory compliance, and safety. ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Level I: Entry level position. Develops and demonstrates basic skills for the process plant. Works under supervision of more senior technicians while completing training tasks. Operational Duties: Participate in Time-Out investigations, document incidents, retrieve Airgas and site-specific operating procedures, incident/injury reporting, etc in the document management software, Intelex, familiarizing oneself with the work order process and participating in minor maintenance activities. Acquire knowledge and abilities in all plant operations including processes and equipment and becoming familiar with site-specific action plans. Ensure on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site specific training requirements are met and documented, supporting Hold Harmless & Insurance Policies and Procedures and performing administrative function responsibilities as delegated by the Plant Manager. Exhibit the understanding of and perform job duties in compliance with all local and federal governmental regulations (Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), etc) , and all company policies and procedures including Management of Change (MOC’s), Pre-Startup Safety Review (PPSR’s), and Qualified Integrators and Resellers (QIR’s), etc. Communication & Collaboration: Interact with national and local product scheduling to meet customer requirements and ensuring customer product delivery requirements, pertinent documentation and affiliated reporting requirements are completed on time and with zero defects. Safety and Regulatory Compliance: Commitment to the strict adherence to company policies, safety guidelines, and procedural standards, as well as instilling safety in others by being safety minded and modeling good safety practices as well as compliance to Qualification and Training program in company electronic training systems. Completion of the Airgas Safety Pledge and being familiar with the requirements as well as completing introductory Health, Safety, Environmental and Social (HSES) training.

Requirements

Associates degree desirable or technical training (or equivalent experience) required.
0 to 6 months of related operations experience preferred.
Knowledgeable in plant Human Machine Interface (HMI) screens and/or control stations
Ability to operate the plant in steady state/normal operation and knows who to contact and what to do in the event of an emergency or unusual conditions.
Ability to monitor and make operating adjustments to optimize efficiency.
Ability to communicate with both written and spoken English at the 12th grade level.
Demonstrate basic understanding of Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&IDs) and Process Flow Diagrams (PFD’s).
Familiar with basic plant operation: taking rounds, loading trucks, conducting water tests and shift turnover.
Familiar with site Emergency Action Plan
Must be mechanically inclined
Must be able to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including, hardhat, safety glasses, safety. shoes/boots, ear protection, and possible respirator protection.
Must be able to lift 60 lbs.
Must be willing to travel as needed for training or to support other sites.
Follows policies and procedures and adheres to notification procedures for vacation scheduling, floating holidays, and personal days off.
Fills in for vacations and emergency shift relief coverage as situations warrant.

Responsibilities

Participate in Time-Out investigations, document incidents, retrieve Airgas and site-specific operating procedures, incident/injury reporting, etc in the document management software, Intelex, familiarizing oneself with the work order process and participating in minor maintenance activities.
Acquire knowledge and abilities in all plant operations including processes and equipment and becoming familiar with site-specific action plans.
Ensure on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site specific training requirements are met and documented, supporting Hold Harmless & Insurance Policies and Procedures and performing administrative function responsibilities as delegated by the Plant Manager.
Exhibit the understanding of and perform job duties in compliance with all local and federal governmental regulations (Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), etc) , and all company policies and procedures including Management of Change (MOC’s), Pre-Startup Safety Review (PPSR’s), and Qualified Integrators and Resellers (QIR’s), etc.
Interact with national and local product scheduling to meet customer requirements and ensuring customer product delivery requirements, pertinent documentation and affiliated reporting requirements are completed on time and with zero defects.
Commitment to the strict adherence to company policies, safety guidelines, and procedural standards, as well as instilling safety in others by being safety minded and modeling good safety practices as well as compliance to Qualification and Training program in company electronic training systems.
Completion of the Airgas Safety Pledge and being familiar with the requirements as well as completing introductory Health, Safety, Environmental and Social (HSES) training.

Benefits

We care about and support all Airgas associates. This is evident not only through our competitive compensation but also through a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision plans, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and paid holidays for full-time employees.
We provide a progressive parental leave package for our eligible Airgas parents, offering generous paid time off for the birth or placement of children.
Additionally, we offer our employees a 401k plan with company matching funds, tuition reimbursement, discounted college tuition for employees’ dependents, and an Airgas Scholarship Program.

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