Waste Trommel Operator Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Inspect and operate trommel and conveyors.
• Control feed rate and material flow.
• Monitor screens output quality and contamination.
• Isolate before authorised blockage work.
• Record production faults wear and downtime.

A realistic working scenario

On a busy remediation site the Trommel Operator receives a shift handover, configures trommel settings for the specified waste stream, inspects belts and screens using equipment inspection records and PPE, runs material through the trommel, samples rejects and product for quality checks, updates production and quality records in the production or maintenance system and issues an immediate escalation when a component defect, unsafe equipment condition or unacceptable contamination level is found. The operator completes end-of-shift handover notes for the incoming shift and files incident and maintenance requests in the asset library or quality and incident records.

Outputs to agree

• Daily trommel run sheet showing feed type, throughput, screen settings, sample results and operator checks
• Equipment inspection record and immediate defect report for any failed component or unsafe equipment condition
• Shift handover notes with outstanding actions, maintenance requests and production priorities
• Quality and incident record for contamination, non-conforming output or customer-facing complaints

Records and evidence

• Production or maintenance system entries: trommel settings, run times, throughput figures.
• Equipment inspection records: pre-shift checks, PPE confirmation and defect logged.
• Quality and incident records: sample results, contamination findings and corrective actions.
• Shift handover and completion notes: outstanding maintenance, outstanding approvals and next-shift instructions.
• Customer/client-facing service records: product acceptability, rejection reasons and stakeholder updates.
• Work records.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Line Manager or Department Manager. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• The Trommel Operator may stop the trommel and raise an escalation for: detected equipment defects (belt tear, screen damage), unsafe equipment use, excessive contamination in output or missed handover. The operator must not authorise major repairs, reject contractual deliveries to clients without prior approval from the site manager or raise commercial credits; those require approval from the named site manager or commercial contact. The operator can authorise routine maintenance requests, tag equipment out of service and lodge defect reports in the asset library or production system.
• Obtain approval before committing expenditure, changing contractual commitments or making regulated or staffing decisions outside the assigned role.

Tools and systems

• Design tools.
• Cameras.
• Risk assessment records.

Workplace context

• Production, workshop, site or field locations.

Training and certification

• Complete employer-required health and safety training.

Contract priorities

• Perform trommel operator work planning, execute shift checks and complete run sheets and handovers accurately
• Inspect trommel components, record defects and stop operations for unsafe equipment conditions
• Complete and update production, inspection and quality records in the production or maintenance system promptly
• Escalate contamination, non-conforming output, missed handovers or safety incidents to the site manager without delay
• Protect and only access customer, client, supplier, employee, operational and financial records necessary for authorised trommel operator tasks

Information the employer should prepare

• the plant feedstock and output grades
• the guarding isolation and access controls
• the loader communication and feed limits
• the blockage fire dust and entanglement procedures
• the sampling cleaning and maintenance schedule