Job Description:

• 1) Controls equipment to combine and process acids and specified chemical ingredients to produce explosives, such as nitroglycerin, tetryl, or TNT: Admits specified ingredients, such as mixed acids and toluene compounds, to metering or weighing tanks, and regulates feed to nitrator in specified timing and sequence.

• 2) Starts agitator to mix ingredients for prescribed time or until settling occurs.

• 3) Observes temperature and pressure gauges and turns steam and coolant valves to regulate reaction within specified limits to prevent explosion.

• 4) Transfers batch or specified components to storage tanks or other processing equipment after prescribed time or when visual inspection indicates reaction is completed.

• 5) Records gauge readings, nitration time, and ingredients consumed in shift log.

• 6) May be designated according to explosive produced as Nitroglycerin-Nitrator Operator, Batch; Tetryl-Nitrator Operator; or according to intermediate materials nitrated as Binitrotoluene Operator; Mononitrotoluene Operator.

• 7) May control continuous-process equipment and be designated Biazzi-Nitrator Operator.