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Construction47-5032.00Specialization

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.

$61,590
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
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AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 3/6: low AI task exposure, declining job demand means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟡AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

14% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Declining+0

-1% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 13/25

Total Score3/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09
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Key Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
  • Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Blast design softwareSafety documentationMicrosoft OfficeInventory tracking

Key Abilities

Problem SensitivityManual DexterityNear VisionOral ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningInformation OrderingArm-Hand SteadinessOral ExpressionFinger Dexterity

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Compensation Details

$42,670
10th Percentile
$61,590
Median
$89,400
90th Percentile

Based on 4,610 employed workers

Also Known As

Aircraft Ordnance TechnicianAmmunition and Explosives HandlerBlast DrillerBlast Hole DrillerBlast SetterBlast TechnicianBlasterBlasting Clay MinerBlasting Coal MinerBlasting Contract Man

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 47-5032.00