# Tasks & work activities — wood pallet maker

Source: O*NET 30.3, occupation 51-7042.00 (Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing) — manual nearest-occupation mapping via ISCO group 7523; the official ESCO crosswalk has no entry for this ESCO occupation.

## Task statements

- **[Core]** Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
- **[Core]** Determine product specifications and materials, work methods, and machine setup requirements, according to blueprints, oral or written instructions, drawings, or work orders.
- **[Core]** Feed stock through feed mechanisms or conveyors into planing, shaping, boring, mortising, or sanding machines to produce desired components.
- **[Core]** Adjust machine tables or cutting devices and set controls on machines to produce specified cuts or operations.
- **[Core]** Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
- **[Core]** Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
- **[Core]** Select knives, saws, blades, cutter heads, cams, bits, or belts, according to workpiece, machine functions, or product specifications.
- **[Core]** Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
- **[Core]** Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules.
- **[Core]** Inspect and mark completed workpieces and stack them on pallets, in boxes, or on conveyors so that they can be moved to the next workstation.
- **[Core]** Push or hold workpieces against, under, or through cutting, boring, or shaping mechanisms.
- **[Core]** Change alignment and adjustment of sanding, cutting, or boring machine guides to prevent defects in finished products, using hand tools.
- **[Core]** Inspect pulleys, drive belts, guards, or fences on machines to ensure that machines will operate safely.
- **[Core]** Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.
- **[Core]** Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.
- **[Core]** Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas.
- **[Core]** Attach and adjust guides, stops, clamps, chucks, or feed mechanisms, using hand tools.
- **[Core]** Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.
- **[Supplemental]** Set up, program, or control computer-aided design (CAD) or computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
- **[Supplemental]** Operate gluing machines to glue pieces of wood together, or to press and affix wood veneer to wood surfaces.
- **[Core]** Trim wood parts according to specifications, using planes, chisels, or wood files or sanders.
- **[Supplemental]** Unclamp workpieces and remove them from machines.
- **[Supplemental]** Start machines and move levers to engage hydraulic lifts that press woodstocks into desired forms and disengage lifts after appropriate drying times.
- **[Supplemental]** Control hoists to remove parts or products from work stations.
- **[Core]** Grease or oil woodworking machines.

## Detailed work activities

- Clean production equipment.
- Clean work areas.
- Conduct test runs of production equipment.
- Determine production equipment settings.
- Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
- Inspect lumber or raw woodstock.
- Inspect production equipment.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Maneuver workpieces in equipment during production.
- Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed.
- Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- Operate woodworking equipment.
- Program equipment to perform production tasks.
- Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Select production equipment according to product specifications.
- Select production input materials.
- Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
- Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
- Stack finished items for further processing or shipment.
- Trim excess material from workpieces.