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Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters: Job 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.
What Do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Perform?
The core tasks performed by explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters span:
- 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.
- Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
- Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aircraft Ordnance Technician
- Ammunition and Explosives Handler
- Blast Driller
- Blast Hole Driller
- Blast Setter
- Blast Technician
- Blaster
- Blasting Clay Miner
How Many Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Are There?
There are roughly 731,332 explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $44,277 |
| Hourly median | $21.29 |
| 10th percentile | $25,018 |
| 25th percentile | $34,648 |
| 75th percentile | $53,907 |
| 90th percentile | $63,537 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $104,320 |
| Tennessee | $102,060 |
| Connecticut | $101,020 |
| Maryland | $93,550 |
| California | $87,110 |
| Wyoming | $86,740 |
| Florida | $84,520 |
| New Mexico | $84,050 |
| Illinois | $82,710 |
| Hawaii | $77,460 |
| Washington | $77,210 |
| North Carolina | $76,900 |
| Colorado | $69,740 |
| Montana | $69,330 |
| Ohio | $66,440 |
| Alabama | $65,190 |
| South Dakota | $63,470 |
| Arizona | $63,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,670 |
| Missouri | $62,500 |
| Virginia | $59,840 |
| Idaho | $58,180 |
| Nevada | $58,160 |
| West Virginia | $57,350 |
| Wisconsin | $56,440 |
| Oklahoma | $56,180 |
| Indiana | $55,660 |
| Kentucky | $54,200 |
| Arkansas | $52,120 |
| Texas | $50,930 |
| Georgia | $46,830 |
| Louisiana | $45,900 |
| Iowa | $41,930 |
| Michigan | $41,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,870 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $91,231 | 20.4% | 6.41 |
| Rocky Mountains | $72,436 | 4.0% | 1.99 |
| Far Western US | $69,282 | 13.1% | 3.98 |
| Southeast | $62,241 | 27.3% | 1.63 |
| Southwest | $61,590 | 10.0% | 4.58 |
| Great Lakes | $60,371 | 16.9% | 2.19 |
| Plains States | $56,450 | 7.6% | 2.09 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $28,870 | 0.7% | 0.98 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $104,210 | 600 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $94,240 | 60 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $77,460 | 70 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | MO | $64,650 | 30 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $64,110 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $63,970 | 50 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | AL | $62,050 | 40 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | TX | $61,730 | 50 |
Top Industries Employing Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
The largest employers of explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1,200 | $57,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 880 | $93,550 |
| Construction | 620 | $58,320 |
| Wholesale Trade | 580 | $60,410 |
| Manufacturing | 470 | $57,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 230 | $66,260 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 130 | $46,290 |
Below are examples of industries where explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters work:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
Getting Started in This Career
Typical explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
- Pile Driver Operators (Primary-Long)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (Supplemental)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Primary-Long)
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
2 programs across 1 majors
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-5032.00 (Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters).
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