Will “Pillar Worker” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

48% Chance of Automation

“Pillar Worker” 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 “Pillar Worker”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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