Career Details :: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Description
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. Includes seismograph shooters.
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Tasks
- Signals workers to clear area and hoist operator to raise equipment and sample from blast hole after detonation.
- Repairs and services blasting and automotive equipment and electrical instruments, using hand tools.
- Marks location and depth of charge holes for drilling and measures depth of drilled blast holes.
- Drives truck to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting site.
- Assembles equipment, primer, explosives, and blasting cap or loads perforating gun with explosives.
- Lays primacord between rows of charged blast holes and ties cord into main line to form blast pattern.
- Plants explosive charge in structures or outside, using rope and safety harness for climbing.
- Loads specified amount of explosives into blast holes, manually, or using rope or hoist.
- Sets up and operates pneumatic drilling equipment to dill blast holes.
- Sets up and operates radio or telephone equipment to receive blast information.
- Lights fuse, drops detonating device into well, or connects wires to firing device and activates device to set off blast.
- Examines blast area to determine amount and kind of explosive needed and to ensure safety prior to detonation.
- Observes control panel to verify detonation of charge or listens for sound of blast.
- Ties specified lengths of delaying fuses into pattern to time sequence of explosions.
- Moves, stores, and maintains inventories of high explosives.
- Places safety cones around blast area to alert other workers.
- Cuts specified lengths or primacord and attaches primer to end of cord.
- Operates equipment, such as hoist, jackhammer, or drill, to bore charge holes.
- Fills and tamps blasting hole.
Related Careers
- Gaugers
- Petroleum Refinery and Control Panel Operators
- Riggers
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Welder-Fitters
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Consequence of Error
- Responsible for Others' Health & Safety
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Hazardous Conditions
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.