Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, & Blasters

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Career Finder

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, & Blasters

What do 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.

Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Find Colleges That Offer This Degree

What Does This Job Pay?

Median Annual Salary: $61,590

Median Hourly Salary: $28

$42,670

$61,590

$89,400

One out of ten earn less than $42,670

The median salary is $61,590

One out of ten earn more than $89,400

Top Skills For This Job

Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Will There Be Jobs?

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Are You On Track?

Typical education needed: High school diploma or equivalent

High school diploma or equivalent

Post-secondary certificate

Some college, no degree

63%

21%

Typical Daily 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.