Bottling Operative

Introduction

Bottling operatives monitor machines that wash, fill and label bottles. They make sure that the machines are set up correctly and kept loaded with bottles, fluid contents and labels.

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Work Activities

Bottling operatives operate bottling machinery on a production line.

The machinery washes and sterilises the bottles, then fills, labels and packages them. Bottles are usually glass or plastic.

The operative makes sure their piece of machinery is set up properly and constantly supplied with raw materials. They also do routine maintenance and manual cleaning routines. They report any difficult technical problems to full-time maintenance staff.

Operatives may also carry and load crates of bottles to and from lorries.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You need some mechanical understanding to work with machinery.

You must be good with your hands and be aware of health and safety. This is especially important as some of the chemicals used in bottle washing can be dangerous.

You need to be physically fit as you may have to do some heavy lifting. You may also have to stand at machines for long periods of time.

It is important that you can work as part of a team.

Operatives working in food or drink production need to be particularly aware of hygiene.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Bottling operatives earn in the range of £210 - £230 a week, rising to around £320 a week.

Shift work, including weekends may be required. Overtime and part-time work may be available. Temporary, casual and seasonal work is often available.

Employers throughout the UK are firms involved in bottling drinks such as wines, spirits, beer, soft drinks or milk. Some plants bottle other products such as sauces, medicines, cleaning materials, shampoos or perfumes.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Applicants with skills and abilities gained in manufacturing industry, for example, in assembly or packing work, have an advantage.

• 13% of people in occupations such as bottling operative work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 27% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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