A packing operator works in warehouses, factories, and shipping facilities, operating and maintaining packaging equipment, sorting and labeling packages, and handling backups. Basic math and communication skills are required, and on-the-job training is provided. The operator is responsible for packaging items, loading pallets, and hauling trucks. They also manage shipping manifests and documents related to packing and transporting items.
Warehouses, factories and shipping facilities will all be settings in which a packer can work. This employee is responsible for operating and sometimes maintaining packaging equipment, sorting and labeling various packages, handling jams or backups in the system, and various tasks directly related to packaging and shipping items. The packing operator will be trained to use scanners, labelers, sorting machines such as conveyors, and other tools to pack the goods properly, secure them for shipment, and properly label them. He will also do some heavy lifting to help load pallets or haul trucks.
To become a packaging operator, you usually need to have completed high school or a similar qualification. Basic math skills are required, and effective communication skills are highly desired. Once hired, the packer generally undergoes a period of on-the-job training, during which he will be trained by more experienced workers in the proper use of various types of machinery, computer software and sorting processes. An apprenticeship program may also be in place to deliver this training; in either case, the operator will usually be paid for his time while the learning process is ongoing.
The packing operator is likely to spend much of the workday on their feet, operating various parts of packing machines and inspecting packages before they are shipped. Sorting machines are often used to help speed up the packaging process, and the operator will need to be familiar with the safe operation of such machines to ensure efficient sorting and packaging. The operator can also determine which type of packaging is most appropriate for certain items, construct the packaging, and insert items into the packaging in a way that protects the items from damage.
Shipping manifests and other documents related to packing and transporting items may also be the responsibility of the packer. All items packed and shipped must be accounted for and information about the destination of the shipment must be documented, usually on computer systems. Some pack operator jobs are just focused on managing this information and ensuring detailed records. This process can be done visually, tracking each package’s identification or routing number, or it can be done using laser scanners that read information from a barcode printed on a label, which is in turn affixed to the packaging material.
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