Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

Also called: Beveler Operator, Cullet Trucker, Grinder, Grinder Operator, Machine Operator, Machine Tender, Miller, Polisher, Preparation Operator (Prep Operator), Pulverizer, Abrasive Grinder, Air Bag Buffer, Air Chipper, Automatic Blocker, Automatic Buffer, Automatic Corn Grinder Operator, Automatic Grinding Machine Operator, Automatic Pattern Edger, Back Grinder, Ball Truing Machine Operator, Bark Grinder, Barytes Grinder, Beater Engineer, Bed Rubber, Beveler, Beveling and Edging Machine Operator, Beveling Machine Operator, Billet Sawyer, Bin Operator, Binman, Blanchard Grinder Operator, Bone Crusher, Bone Grinder, Bowling Ball Finisher, Breaker Machine Operator, Breaker Tender, Breaking Machine Operator, Brush Sander, Buffing and Sueding Machine Operator, Buhr Mill Operator, Calciner, Carbon Grinder, Carbon Plant Grinder, Chipper, Chisel Trimmer, Cinder Crusher Operator, Circle Beveler, Circle Edger, Clay Grinder, Clay Temperer, Coal Crusher Operator, Coal Mill Operator, Coal Pulverizing Operator, Cocoa Room Operator, Coffee Grinder, Coke Crusher Operator, Compounder, Continuous Crusher Operator, Contour Grinder, Convex Grinder, Convex Grinder Operator, Copra Processor, Corn Grinder, Corn Husker, Cracker, Crusher, Crusher and Blender Operator, Crusher Feeder, Crusher Operator, Crusher Plant Operator, Crusher Setter, Crusher Tender, Crushing Machine Operator, Crystal Grinder, Crystal Lapper, Cullet Crusher, Cullet Crusher and Washer, Cullet Washer, Custom Grinder, Custom Miller, Deburring Machine Operator, Deoiling Machine Operator, Disc Pad Grinder, Distillery Miller, Dry Pan Operator, Edger, Edging Machine Setter, Equipment Man, Equipment Worker, Facer, Feed Crusher, Feed Crusher Operator, Feed Grinder, Feed Mill Operator, Feed Mill Tender, Finger Grip Machine Operator, Finish Machine Tender, Finishing Machine Tender, Glass Belt Sander, Glass Grinder, Glaze Grinder, Glaze Maker, Gold Reclaimer, Granite Fabricator, Granite Polisher, Graphite Grinder, Greenstone Polisher Operator, Grinder Machine Operator, Grinder Mill Operator, Grinder Tender, Grinding Machine Operator, Grinding Mill Operator, Gristmill Operator, Gristmiller, Grit Blaster, Gritter, Gritting Machine Operator, Groover, Gypsum Calciner, Hammer Mill Operator, Hand Grinder, Hardboard Grinder, Hide Buffer, Hull Grinder, Huller, Huller Operator, Husker Operator, Hydration Plant Operator, Hydrator, Hydrator Operator, Hydropulper, Hydropulper Operator, Industrial Coffee Grinder, Inflated Pad Buffer, Ink Grinder, Ivory Polisher, Jewel Bearing Facer, Jewel Bearing Grinder, Jewel Corner Brushing Machine Operator, Jewel Cupping Machine Operator, Jewel Flat Surfacer, Jewel Grinder, Jewel Hole Finish Opener, Laboratory Apparatus Glass Grinder (Lab Apparatus Glass Grinder), Laboratory Miller (Lab Miller), Lacquer Maker, Leguillon Debeader, Lens Cleaner, Lens Fabricating Machine Tender, Lens Grinding Machine Operator, Level Vial Grinder, Level Vial Inside Grinder, Liquor Grinder Mill Operator, Liquor Grinding Mill Operator, Log Chipper Operator, Machine Buffer, Machine Stone Polisher, Machine Turner, Marble and Granite Polisher, Marble Machine Operator, Marble Polisher, Marble Rubber, Meal Grinder Tender, Meal Miller, Meat Grinder, Merchant Miller, Milk Powder Grinder, Mill and Coal Transport Operator, Mill Attendant, Mill Operator, Mirror Finishing Machine Operator, Miter Grinder Operator, Mix Crusher Operator, Mold Chipper, Mold Dresser, Mold Polisher, Notch Grinder, Nut Grinder, Nut Sheller, Operator, Ordnance Equipment Worker, Ore Crusher, Paint Grinder, Peanut Sheller, Pebble Mill Operator, Pecan Huller, Pecan Sheller, Perlite Grinder, Pet Food Deboner, Pigment Grinder, Pipe Bowl Paint Trimmer, Planer Operator, Plate Glass Grinder, Plate Glass Polisher, Platen Grinder, Polishing Machine Operator, Polishing Machine Tender, Powder Mill Operator, Pulp Grinder, Pulp Grinder and Blender, Pulp Refiner Operator, Pulper, Pulverizer Mill Operator, Pulverizer Operator, Radius Corner Machine Operator, Raw Mill Operator, Refining Machine Operator, Regrinder, Rock Crusher, Rock Crusher Operator, Rock Crushing Machine Operator, Rod Mill Tender, Roll Grinder, Roll Tender, Roller Coverer, Roller Mill Operator, Rough and Truing Machine Operator, Rubber Grinder, Rubbing Bed Operator, Sagger Preparer, Salt Grinder, Salt Washer, Sand Mill Grinder, Sandblast Operator, Scale Reclamation Tender, Scratcher Tender, Seed Yeast Operator, Shot Blast Equipment Operator, Shot Blast Operator, Shot Blaster, Shredder Operator, Shredding Floor Equipment Operator, Sifter, Skin Buffer, Slab Grinder, Slate Splitter, Smoother, Snuff Grinder, Snuff Maker, Soap Grinder, Soil Sling Operator, Spice Grinder, Spice Miller, Sponge Buffer, Spouter, Stamper, Stamping Mill Tender, Stone Lathe Operator, Stone Mill Operator, Stone Planer, Stone Rougher, Stopper Grinder, Straight Line Edger, Strip Polisher, Sugar Chipper Machine Operator, Sugar Grinder, Surface Plate Finisher, Sweet Potato Disintegrator, Synthetic Soil Blocks Pulper, Tile Grinder, Tire Buffer, Tombstone Polisher, Top Polisher, Touch Up Edger, Tube Buffer, Tumbler, Tumbler Operator, Unit Operator, Unit Tender, Wafer Abrading Machine Tender, Wafer Fabrication Operator, Ware Dresser, Washer and Crusher Tender, Watch Crystal Edge Grinder, Water Fabricator Operator, Wet Mix Operator, Wet Pan Operator, Wet Process Miller, Wheat and Oats Flake Miller, Wheel Mill Operator, White Lead Grinder, Wood Flour Miller, Wood Grinder, Wood Grinder Operator

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.
Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.
Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.
Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.
Notify supervisors of needed repairs.
Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.
Record data from operations, testing, and production on specified forms.
Reject defective products and readjust equipment to eliminate problems.
Inspect chains, belts, or scrolls for signs of wear.
Clean work areas.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Monitoring
Quality Control Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Coordination
Judgment and Decision Making
Time Management
Writing
Critical Thinking

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (61.72% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

40,430–60,040 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-9021.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop reliable production, safety, quality, and equipment skills; explore additional processes, senior specialist, or team-lead responsibilities relevant to your workplace.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (61.72% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders