Page 19 - Boiler_Operators_Handbook,_Second_Edition

4 Boiler Operator’s Handbook

Heselton, who promotes operating wisely, said bosses 3. The safety and condition of the equipment oper-
that keep cost data from their employees are fools. Show ated and maintained
him (or her) this page. If an operator doesn’t know the 4. Minimizing damage to the environment
true cost of the fuel burned, the water and chemicals 5. Continued operation of the plant
consumed, electrical power that runs the pumps and 6. Training a replacement
fans, etc., the operator will make judgments in operation 7. Preserving historical data
based on perceived costs. And frequently those percep- 8. Economic operation of the plant
tions are flawed. I was able to prove that point many
times in the past. Regrettably for the employer, it was Prioritizing in the Real World
after a lot of dollars went up the stack. Prioritizing activities and functions is simply a
I have a few recollections of my own stupidity matter of keeping the above list in your mind. Every
when I was managing operations for Power and Com- activity of an operator should contribute to the main-
bustion, a mechanical contractor specializing in building tenance of those priorities. Only by documenting them
boiler plants. When I failed to make sure the construc- can you prove they are done, and done according to
tion workers understood all the costs they made deci- priority. We’ll cover documenting a lot so it won’t be
sions that cost the company a lot of money. Needless to discussed further here. Following the list of priorities
say, I could measure the cost of those mistakes in terms makes it possible to decide what to do and when.
of the bonus I took home at Christmas. Changes in the scope of a boiler plant operator’s
You don’t have to know what the boss’s or fellow activities make maintaining that order important. Mod-
employee’s wages are. They’re not subject to your ac- ern controls and computers that are used to form things
tivities. You should know, however, what it costs to keep like building automation systems have relieved boiler
you on the job. Taxes and fringe benefits can represent plant operators of some of the more mundane activities.
more than 50 percent of the person’s wages. Many of the We have taken huge strides from shoveling coal into the
extra costs, but not all, for a union employee appears on furnace to what is almost a white collar job today. As a
the check because the funds are transferred to the union. result, operators find themselves assigned other duties.
Non-union employers should also inform the operators You may find you have a variety of duties which, when
what is contributed on their behalf. Even if the employer listed on your resume, would appear to outweigh the ac-
doesn’t allow the operator to have that information, the tual activity of operating a boiler. A boiler plant operator
wise operator should know that the paycheck is only a today may serve as a watchman, receptionist, mechanic
part of what it costs to put a person on the job. In ad- and receiving clerk in addition to operating the boiler
dition to retirement funds, health insurance, vacation plant. As mentioned earlier, maintenance functions can
pay and sick pay there is the employer’s share of Social be performed by an operator or the operator can super-
Security and Medicaid; the employer has to contribute vise contractors in their performance. The trend to as-
a match to what the employee has withheld from sal- suming or being assigned other duties will continue and
ary. There are numerous taxes and insurance elements a wise operator will be able to handle that trend.
as well. An employer pays State Unemployment Taxes, Many operators simply complain when assigned
Federal Unemployment Taxes, and Workmen’s Com- other tasks. They also frequently endeavor to appear
pensation Insurance Premiums at a minimum. If you inept at them, hoping the boss will pass them off on
have to guess what you really cost your employer, figure someone else. Note that if you intentionally appear inept
all those extras are about 50 percent of your salary. at that other duty it may give rise to a question of your
Economic operation requires utilizing a balance of ability to be an operator. An operator has an opportu-
resources, including manpower, in an optimum manner nity to handle the concept of additional assignments in
so the total cost of operation is as low as possible. You a professional manner. One can view the new duty as
might want to know even more to determine if changes something that can be fit into the schedule; in which case
you would like to see in the plant can reduce operating it increases the operator’s value to the employer. A wise
costs. That, however, is to be covered in another book. operator will have developed systems that grant him (or
To summarize, the wise operator keeps priorities her) plenty of time to handle other tasks. If, however,
in order and they are: you can’t make the duty fit, you can demonstrate that the
new duty will take you away from the work you must
1. The operator’s personal safety, health and welfare do to maintain the priorities and, pleasantly, inform the
2. The safety and health of other people boss of the increased risk of damage or injury that could