Your work. Your records.
Multiple-Machine Operator Workplace Records Guide
An operator responsible for several machine types may inherit different setups and priorities within one shift. If a workplace dispute concerns output or scrap, separate the work sequence, tooling availability and inspection decisions for each assigned operation.
Call now(800) 800-5555Free initial case evaluation. Representation depends on work state and case eligibility. This guide explains record preparation; it does not determine whether a legal claim exists.
A record map for your role
What to organize first
Machine allocation
Record which machines you were assigned and when the priority between them changed.
Tooling readiness
Note missing or changed tooling and the instruction you received before continuing the job.
Measurement review
Identify the stage at which a dimension was questioned and who reviewed the finding.
Start with the work you actually do
Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
O*NET classifies this occupation as Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (51-4081.00). Its description covers a typical occupation, not every workplace or individual job. It does not establish employee status, overtime eligibility or employer misconduct.
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.Source task 10206 · updated 08/2021
- Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.Source task 10210 · updated 08/2021
- Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.Source task 10208 · updated 08/2021
- Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.Source task 10211 · updated 08/2021
A reference point for your pay records
May 2025 wage estimates by state
Compare your pay records with published BLS estimates for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4081). These describe an occupation across employers. They are not a required pay rate, an overtime calculation, or evidence of discrimination or unpaid wages.
Select your work state to see its published pay range. No personal pay information is requested or sent.
The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the middle half of the estimated wage distribution; the median is its midpoint. Actual pay can differ with experience, employer, location and duties. Hourly and annual figures are shown as published, without converting one into the other.
All published state estimates for this occupation
| State | Hourly 25th | Hourly median | Hourly 75th | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $17.22 | $21.06 | $25.33 | $43,800 |
| Arizona | $17.49 | $20.71 | $23.46 | $43,090 |
| Arkansas | $17.87 | $21.19 | $23.78 | $44,080 |
| Connecticut | $18.41 | $20.47 | $23.88 | $42,580 |
| Florida | $17.99 | $19.82 | $22.84 | $41,220 |
| Georgia | $17.30 | $18.66 | $22.70 | $38,810 |
| Idaho | $23.46 | $24.24 | $25.87 | $50,410 |
| Indiana | $19.21 | $21.68 | $23.62 | $45,100 |
| Iowa | $21.74 | $23.51 | $25.93 | $48,910 |
| Kansas | $18.10 | $23.29 | $23.30 | $48,450 |
| Kentucky | $22.71 | $26.42 | $34.26 | $54,960 |
| Louisiana | $18.18 | $22.22 | $26.38 | $46,210 |
| Maine | $20.06 | $22.46 | $23.56 | $46,710 |
| Michigan | $18.23 | $22.08 | $29.48 | $45,920 |
| Minnesota | $22.32 | $23.55 | $28.24 | $48,980 |
| Mississippi | $15.76 | $17.47 | $19.97 | $36,330 |
| Missouri | $21.55 | $25.56 | $38.50 | $53,160 |
| Nebraska | $20.17 | $24.50 | $26.01 | $50,960 |
| New Hampshire | $19.91 | $21.98 | $27.11 | $45,710 |
| New York | $20.62 | $23.99 | $29.50 | $49,890 |
| North Carolina | $19.38 | $22.75 | $26.98 | $47,320 |
| North Dakota | $18.35 | $23.65 | $34.20 | $49,190 |
| Ohio | $18.56 | $22.32 | $27.04 | $46,420 |
| Oklahoma | $18.50 | $22.34 | $24.57 | $46,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $20.55 | $23.11 | $27.49 | $48,070 |
| Rhode Island | $17.17 | $18.62 | $22.90 | $38,720 |
| South Dakota | $18.31 | $21.49 | $27.11 | $44,700 |
| Tennessee | $17.85 | $20.97 | $23.23 | $43,630 |
| Texas | $18.97 | $23.58 | $38.52 | $49,050 |
| Utah | $18.18 | $20.94 | $23.29 | $43,550 |
| Vermont | $23.22 | $24.25 | $29.37 | $50,450 |
| Virginia | $20.59 | $24.33 | $28.84 | $50,600 |
| West Virginia | $24.53 | $36.58 | $36.58 | $76,080 |
| Wisconsin | $20.49 | $22.93 | $28.42 | $47,700 |
| Wyoming | $18.23 | $19.23 | $19.83 | $40,000 |
“Not published” preserves unavailable or suppressed source cells. “Above reporting limit” preserves a top-coded source value without inventing a number. A missing state estimate does not establish service eligibility. The data describe wage and salary employment; they do not measure self-employment income.
Source: BLS May 2025 state workbook · OEWS tables · BLS technical notes. Use your own schedule, pay statement and compensation terms to identify the question you want reviewed.
Map the operation sequence
Describe the order in which work moved between machines and who set that order. Note whether stock, fixtures and tools were ready when the job arrived. Record interruptions caused by a reassignment without assuming the entire shift was spent on one machine.
Track dimensional feedback
Identify the inspection stage and the type of mismatch reported. Separate your own measurement from a later quality decision and note who authorized any tooling adjustment. Include whether the workpiece had passed through another operation before you received it.
Protect production designs
Do not take drawings, robot programs or customer specifications outside authorized systems. Use your own time records and permitted assignment messages. Describe the work-order version and inspection record location for a reviewer rather than copying protected files.
Choose your next step
Review the workplace retaliation guide, unpaid wages guide, or discrimination guide if those concerns fit your experience. A job title alone does not establish a claim.
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