Incinerator operator vs utility plant operative

The differences between incinerator operators and utility plant operatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an incinerator operator, becoming a utility plant operative takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a utility plant operative has an average salary of $42,253, which is higher than the $40,114 average annual salary of an incinerator operator.

The top three skills for an incinerator operator include OSHA, hand tools and incinerators. The most important skills for a utility plant operative are plant equipment, auxiliary equipment, and HVAC.

Incinerator operator vs utility plant operative overview

	Incinerator Operator	Utility Plant Operative
Yearly salary	$40,114	$42,253
Hourly rate	$19.29	$20.31
Growth rate	4%	-7%
Number of jobs	31,897	19,159
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Associate Degree, 41%
Average age	50	47
Years of experience	2	12

Incinerator operator vs utility plant operative salary

Incinerator operators and utility plant operatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Incinerator Operator	Utility Plant Operative
Average salary	$40,114	$42,253
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $29,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	Highland, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Yale University
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between incinerator operator and utility plant operative education

There are a few differences between an incinerator operator and a utility plant operative in terms of educational background:

	Incinerator Operator	Utility Plant Operative
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Associate Degree, 41%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Duke University

Incinerator operator vs utility plant operative demographics

Here are the differences between incinerator operators' and utility plant operatives' demographics:

	Incinerator Operator	Utility Plant Operative
Average age	50	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between incinerator operator and utility plant operative duties and responsibilities

Incinerator operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Ensure proper PPE are maintained and utilize by all personnel.
Ensure all waste are properly handle and dispose of per OSHA and AFOSH standards.
Advance to increasingly responsible positions, culminating in management role with oversight for a full-service building management.
Advance to increasingly responsible positions, culminating in management role with oversight for a full-service building management.

Utility plant operative example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Conduct work in an FDA regulate environment.
Enforce and comply with operational guidelines, OSHA and EPA regulations.
Maintain compliance with state regulators, cGMP, FDA and insurance company.
Last year of employment work include 20 hour each week doing plumbing work exclusively.
Perform some plumbing repairs, minor electrical work, some carpentry, plus general maintenance at plant and offices.

Incinerator operator vs utility plant operative skills

Common incinerator operator skills

OSHA, 51%
Hand Tools, 18%
Incinerators, 16%
Safety Procedures, 7%
Medical Waste, 5%
Liquid Waste, 2%

Common utility plant operative skills

Plant Equipment, 9%
Auxiliary Equipment, 7%
HVAC, 7%
Plant Operations, 6%
Control Systems, 5%
Cooling Towers, 5%

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Incinerator Operator
Incinerator Operator vs Utility Plant Operative

Updated January 8, 2025

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