Profession wood treater

Wood treaters apply treatments to wood to make it resistant to environmental factors like mould, cold, moisture, or staining. Treatments may also contribute to the colour of the wood. Wood treaters may use chemicals, heat, gasses, UV light, or a combination of these to treat wood.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Wood moisture content

    The amount of water contained in wood materials. The effect of wood moisture on the size and physical characteristics of the wood. Suitable moisture contents for different uses.

  • Woodworking processes

    Steps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.

Skills

  • Wear appropriate protective gear

    Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

  • Record wood treatment information

    Record information on wood treatment in the appropriate information system and report it to the correct person.

  • Meet contract specifications

    Meet contract specifications, schedules and manufacturers' information. Check that the work can be carried out in the estimated and allocated time.

  • Stack timber

    Stack and align timber in neat and separate layers to make it ready for kiln drying.

  • Treat wood

    Apply different chemicals to wood in order to increase its natural resistance and prevent deterioration.

  • Set up the controller of a machine

    Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.

  • Manipulate wood

    Manipulate the properties, shape and size of wood.

  • Work safely with chemicals

    Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.

  • Supply machine

    Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.

  • Mix chemicals

    Mix chemical substances safely according to recipe, using the proper dosages.

  • Clean wood surface

    Use a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.

  • Move treated wood

    Unload, prepare and move freshly treated wood to an appropriate post-treatment drying area.

Optional knowledge and skills

identify hazards in the workplace prepare production reports operate grappler check quality of raw materials keep records of work progress acclimatise timber clean equipment dry wood work as a team in a hazardous environment dye wood operate forklift manage timber stocks monitor stock level dispose of hazardous waste stain wood inspect quality of products perform machine maintenance operate hoists report defective manufacturing materials timber products chemical processes carry out measurements of parts record production data for quality control

Source: Sisyphus ODB