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48% Chance of Automation

“Shotblaster” will probably not be replaced by robots.

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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 “Shotblaster”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

Autodesk AutoCAD
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Word
DetNet ViewShot
Blaster's Tool and Supply Company Blaster's Calculator
ESRI ArcGIS software
Global Positioning System GPS software
Datavis DBS Designer
Microsoft PowerPoint