Will “Perforator Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

48% Chance of Automation

“Perforator Operator” will probably not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #292 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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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. Includes seismograph shooters.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-5031.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 54,580.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 26.00
Currently, there are 6,310 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Perforator Operator”

Obtain samples of earth from sidewalls of well boreholes, using electrically exploding devices.
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.
Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools.
Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
Verify detonation of charges by observing control panels, or by listening for the sounds of blasts.
Insert powder charges into chambers of sidewall sample-taking cylinders, and assemble cylinders, using special wrenches.
Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.
Signal hoist operators to lower torpedoes or sample-taking guns into wells and to raise equipment for sampling from blast holes after detonation.
Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.
Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends.
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.
Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, or drills, in order to bore charge holes.
Light fuses, drop detonating devices into wells or boreholes, or activate firing devices with plungers, dials, or buttons, in order to set off single or multiple blasts.
Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.
Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information.
Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
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.
Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures.
Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
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.
Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.

Related Technology & Tools

Detonating cords
Explosives time delay fuses
Digital ammeters
Torpedo levels
Surveyors leveling rods
Vernier calipers
Temperature data loggers
Portable signal generators
Wood wedges
Non-electric delay detonators
Resistance testers
Discharge hoses
Precision tweezers
Right angle prisms
Ammonium nitrate fuel oil ANFO loaders
Weighted tape measures
Crescent wrenches
Wheeled wire dispensers
Tractor-trailer trucks
Digital wattmeters
Digital calculators
Conduit bending tools
Clinometers
Portable air compressors
Phillips head screwdrivers
Forklifts
Laser rangefinders
Explosives handling robots
Ring gauges
Hand shears
Tamping rods
Coated gloves
Hole savers
Fuse testers
Grappling hooks
Extension ladders
Overhead cranes
Millivoltmeters
Laptop computers
Phase rotation meters
Safety goggles
Rubber mallets
Longnose pliers
Safety fuses
Protective ear plugs
Plumb bobs
Remote blasting systems
Hacksaws
Meggers
Loading poles
Instantaneous electrical detonators
Non-contact voltage testers
Wire loop pullers
Avalaunchers
Flashing warning lights
Dewatering pumps
Shock tube detonators
Personal computers
Bore hole thermometers
Fuse cutters
Surface connector blocks
Protective safety glasses
Hydraulic pressure gauges
Harpoon retrievers
Digital ohmmeters
Wire cutting tools
Electrical circuit testers
Stake flags
Stakebed trucks
Hand chisels
Mobile radios
Folding knives
Pallet jacks
Electricians' knives
Lowering hooks
Depth measurement gauges
End cutting pliers
Hard hats
Galvanometers
Warning sirens
Spring scales
Blast hole tubing
Short period delay detonators
Digital multimeters
Safety cones
Insulated pliers
Jackhammers
Wire cleaning brushes
Blasting machines
Tie-down equipment
Long period delay detonators
Digital micrometers
Pneumatic drilling equipment
Padded gloves
Equipment dollies
Safety harnesses
Wire strippers
Seismic activity recorders
Blasthole drills
Plastic plugs
Explosives funnels
Perforating capsule guns
Test lamps
Perforating casing guns
Hoisting equipment
Balance scales
Remote firing devices
Tongue and groove pliers
Protective respirators
Short-wave radios
Day boxes
Explosive blasting caps
Blasting cap crimpers
Portable cranes
Transport trucks
Electronic shock tube initiators
Digital voltmeters
Fixed blade knives

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