Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
The occupation Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters covers people who place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. You may also need to examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed. On the six-type interest model it reads RCI, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Plan on a few months to a year of learning on the job; O*NET labels this some preparation. Strength in active listening, monitoring, and judgment and decision making helps most here. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on active listening and monitoring.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.3 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Blast Hole Driller
- Blaster
- Explosive Technician
- Powderman
- Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.