Occupations/47-5032.00
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
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.
Usually a high school diploma, plus some experience or short training.
AI automation risk
34%
More resilient
Human characteristics
66%
Strong human-characteristic mix
Task orientation
69%
Higher automation risk
A day in this job
- Task
Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
- Task
Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
- Task
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.
These are core tasks from O*NET. The wording didn’t clearly split routine from human, so they are listed without that label.
Core tasks
- 01Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
- 02Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
- 03Place 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.
- 04Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
- 05Insert, 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.
- 06Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.38
- Degree of automation2.18
- Time sitting1.82
- Originality (ability)2.88
- Conflict situations3.13
- Hands-on objects/tools4.52
- Outdoors / weather4.92
- Disease exposure1.17
- Decision freedom3.75
Top abilities
- Problem Sensitivity4.00
- Near Vision4.00
- Manual Dexterity4.00
- Oral Comprehension3.88
- Information Ordering3.88
- Inductive Reasoning3.88
- Deductive Reasoning3.88
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.88
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.12
- Active Listening3.88
- Writing2.88
- Speaking3.38
- Mathematics2.50
- Science1.88
- Critical Thinking3.62
- Active Learning3.12
- Learning Strategies3.00
- Monitoring3.75
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
8 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Century College White Bear Lake, MN · Public | Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation 49.0202 | $6,000 | 100% | 31% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Certificate · CIP 49.02 |
Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids, MN · Public | Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation 49.0202 | $5,800 | 100% | 33% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Certificate · CIP 49.02 |
Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $6,200 | 100% | 33% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MN · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $6,200 | 100% | 38% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Ridgewater College Willmar, MN · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $6,100 | 100% | 36% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls, MN · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $6,000 | 100% | 37% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |
Miami Dade College Miami, FL · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $2,900 | 100% | 41% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Certificate · CIP 46.05 |
Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN · Public | Well Drilling/Driller 46.0504 | $6,300 | 100% | 48% | 1 yr — 2 yr — Not reported |