Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand: Job Description
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
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What Do Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of grinding and polishing workers, hand include:
- Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
- Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
- Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
- Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
- Mark defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.
- Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
- Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
- Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
Skills and Knowledge
Top grinding and polishing workers, hand draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Aircraft Skin Burnisher
- Balance Wheel Arm Burnisher
- Balance Wheel Hand Filer
- Barrel Finisher
- Beveler
- Bit Shaver
- Buffer
- Burrer
How Many Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Are There?
The U.S. employs around 425,785 grinding and polishing workers, hand working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +13.3% over the projection horizon.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $65,857 |
| Hourly median | $31.66 |
| 10th percentile | $47,015 |
| 25th percentile | $56,436 |
| 75th percentile | $75,278 |
| 90th percentile | $84,699 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $50,550 |
| Nevada | $50,130 |
| Rhode Island | $49,050 |
| Connecticut | $47,460 |
| Missouri | $47,070 |
| Iowa | $46,960 |
| Oregon | $46,650 |
| New Hampshire | $46,420 |
| Washington | $46,250 |
| New York | $45,760 |
| Ohio | $43,430 |
| California | $43,170 |
| Arizona | $42,570 |
| Wisconsin | $42,030 |
| Massachusetts | $41,710 |
| New Jersey | $41,610 |
| Michigan | $41,330 |
| South Carolina | $40,790 |
| Colorado | $40,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,430 |
| Indiana | $39,110 |
| Virginia | $38,920 |
| Georgia | $38,710 |
| Florida | $38,470 |
| Vermont | $38,350 |
| Illinois | $38,220 |
| Texas | $37,870 |
| North Carolina | $37,750 |
| South Dakota | $37,620 |
| Tennessee | $36,560 |
| Utah | $35,710 |
| Oklahoma | $35,410 |
| New Mexico | $34,900 |
| Alabama | $33,060 |
| Louisiana | $32,120 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for grinding and polishing workers, hand vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $46,913 | 6.1% | 1.35 |
| New England | $44,435 | 4.4% | 2.14 |
| Far Western US | $43,830 | 25.0% | 1.60 |
| Middle Atlantic | $43,054 | 10.8% | 0.82 |
| Great Lakes | $41,051 | 17.2% | 1.80 |
| Southwest | $37,989 | 12.7% | 1.11 |
| Southeast | $37,938 | 23.1% | 1.10 |
| Rocky Mountains | $35,710 | 0.7% | 0.58 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | MN | $59,480 | 40 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $57,590 | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $52,300 | 100 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | PA | $51,240 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $50,850 | 110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $50,560 | 170 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $50,190 | 100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $49,290 | 310 |
Which Industries Hire Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Most grinding and polishing workers, hand are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10,010 | $41,710 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 470 | $45,160 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 440 | $36,920 |
| Wholesale Trade | 350 | $41,480 |
| Construction | 250 | $46,640 |
| Retail Trade | 90 | $39,870 |
Below are examples of industries where grinding and polishing workers, hand work:
Software Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for grinding and polishing workers, hand reflects the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Contaminants
Education and Training
Most grinding and polishing workers, hand positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9022.00 (Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand).
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