Description
Set up, place, and detonate explosives to demolish structures or break and remove rock, earth, or other materials for construction, mining, and demolition projects. Plan blast patterns, coordinate site safety, and manage the safe handling, storage, transport, and recordkeeping of explosives.
- • Signal crane or equipment operators to move gear safely.
- • Operate machines to flush cuttings or blow dust from holes.
- • Document geological formations and conditions encountered.
- • Inspect blast sites to determine charge types and quantities and ensure compliance with safety laws.
- • Tie delaying fuses to sequence explosions.
- • Place safety cones and barriers and signal workers to clear the blast zone.
- • Place charges and detonate explosives to demolish structures or displace earth and rock.
- • Insert, pack, and pour explosives such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; admit water and tamp to compact charges.
- • Mark drill patterns, hole locations, and depths, and issue drilling instructions.
- • Maintain explosives logs and records in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
- • Measure drilled hole depths using weighted tapes or gauges.
- • Connect electrical wires to primers and stem holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
- • Lay primacord between rows of charged holes and tie into main lines to form blast circuits.
- • Assemble and position blasting equipment, explosives, and blasting caps at specified depths.
- • Verify detonation via control panels and confirmation of blast signals or sounds.
- • Move, store, and handle explosives and related materials according to safety procedures.
- • Light fuses, drop detonating devices into boreholes, or activate firing devices with plungers, dials, or buttons.
- • Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to job sites.
- • Cut primacord to length and attach primers.
- • Monitor inventory levels and order explosives, caps, and accessories as needed.
- • Repair and service blasting tools, wiring, and related equipment using hand tools.
- • Use radios or field telephones to coordinate blast timing and clearance.
- • Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.
- • Set up and operate hoists, jackhammers, and drills to bore charge holes.
- • Install and secure blast mats or coverings to control flyrock.
- • Conduct pre- and post-blast inspections and document results.
- • Identify, secure, and remediate misfires according to procedures.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
