What Do Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster Do?
Example of Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster Job 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.
Daily Life Of an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster
- Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.
- Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
- Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
- Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
- Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
- Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster?
Below is a list of the skills most Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Other Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster Job Titles
- Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer
- Muck Miner, Blasting
- Iron Miner, Blasting
- Lode Miner, Blasting
- Blasting Coal Miner
Job Demand for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
There were about 6,300 jobs for Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 500 new jobs for Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster are Tennessee, Wyoming, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Washington, or Utah. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster Average Salary
The average yearly salary of an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster ranges between $34,500 and $76,070.

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters who work in Nevada, New York, or New Mexico, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $50,440 |
Alaska | $63,620 |
Arizona | $55,880 |
Arkansas | $41,400 |
California | $68,980 |
Colorado | $60,750 |
Florida | $55,470 |
Georgia | $49,600 |
Hawaii | $61,590 |
Illinois | $61,180 |
Indiana | $50,220 |
Kentucky | $50,340 |
Louisiana | $52,610 |
Maryland | $65,020 |
Massachusetts | $65,760 |
Missouri | $48,770 |
Montana | $63,590 |
Nevada | $65,860 |
New Mexico | $65,350 |
New York | $72,090 |
North Carolina | $60,160 |
Ohio | $47,560 |
Oklahoma | $43,260 |
Pennsylvania | $61,830 |
Tennessee | $47,040 |
Texas | $41,050 |
Utah | $49,530 |
West Virginia | $47,530 |
Wisconsin | $76,390 |
Wyoming | $65,800 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Global Positioning System GPS software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
How to Become an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster
Individuals working as an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster?

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Sector

Below are examples of industries where Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters work:

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Those thinking about becoming an Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, or Blaster might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Tomwsulcer via Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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