Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

What the job really is

Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures.

At a glance

• Sector: Construction & Extraction
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-5032
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.
• Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
• Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
• Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.
• Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
• Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges.
• Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
• Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
• Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
• Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
• Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns.
• Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.

Tools and technology

Autodesk AutoCAD, ESRI ArcGIS software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adjustable combination wrenches, Air rotary drills, Alternating current AC generators, Ammonium nitrate fuel oil ANFO loaders, Avalaunchers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
• Helpers--Extraction Workers
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
• Continuous Mining Machine Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Pile Driver Operators
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Roof Bolters, Mining

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.