Onboarding plan
Refinery Operator Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new refinery operator from first day to full productivity.
Refinery Operator onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: Process technology associate degree, Operator unit qualifications (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: DCS control systems; gas monitors; pumps and valves; tank gauging equipment
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Refinery Operator training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Wear gas monitors and flame-resistant clothing
- Follow work permits and lockout
- Know emergency and evacuation procedures
- Use management of change for any changes
- Shadow an experienced refinery operator through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: gauge a storage tank
- Supervised practice: write a safe work permit
- Supervised practice: respond to a process upset
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Control refinery process units: independently
- Make field rounds and inspections: independently
- Adjust temperatures, pressures and flows: independently
- Take product samples: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, Process technology associate degree)
- Discuss the career path: Outside Operator → Board Operator → Shift Lead
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge a Storage Tank | |||
| Write a Safe Work Permit | |||
| Respond to a Process Upset | |||
| Process control | |||
| Distillation and refining | |||
| Pumps and compressors | |||
| Sampling and gauging |
How to measure onboarding success
- Weeks to first qualification sign-off
- Procedure compliance and safety observations
- Recordable incidents and near-misses
- First-year retention
How Refinery Operator training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Refinery Operator Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Refinery Operator Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Refinery Operator Career
- Final Knowledge Check