8120 — Metal working machine operatives

What this occupation covers

Metal working machine operatives operate machines to cut, shape, abrade and otherwise machine metal, use hand and power tools to remove surplus metal and rough surfaces from castings, forgings or other metal parts, and clean, smooth and polish metal workpieces.

Typical duties

secures workpiece in drilling, boring, milling, planing, grinding, lapping, honing, electrochemical, or other shaping machines, or loads metal stock on to press

sets controls, starts machine and operates controls to feed tool to workpiece or vice versa and repositions workpiece during machining as required

withdraws workpiece and examines accuracy using measuring instruments

operates burning, chipping and grinding equipment to remove defects from metal parts, and files, chisels, burns and saws off surplus metal

smooths rough surfaces with hand tools, abrasive belts and wheels, compressed air, jets of vapour, or blasting with shot, grit, sand or other abrasive material

selects and secures polishing head to machine tool, prepares head with emery, grease or other substance, sets speed and angle of polishing head, and operates controls to feed polishing head to workpiece or vice versa

Entry routes and qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically received on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering are available.

Sponsorship information

Ineligible. Actual duties, sponsor, applicant, salary and any transitional or shortage-list conditions must be checked.

DBS assessment

No code-wide DBS assessment is assigned. Check actual duties, activities, workplace, frequency and jurisdiction. This code does not determine the level of check.

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