CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Blasters and Explosives Workers

The Benchmark Job Description below represents the specific Position Characteristics of the job used in the Salary Survey. Benchmark Job Descriptions should be inspected carefully to review the degree of matching between an organizations' Job and the Salary Survey Benchmark. Matching internal Jobs to Salary Survey Benchmark Jobs should not be done on Job Title alone. A thorough comparison of Salary Survey Benchmark to Internal Job Descriptions is recommended. A good overlap should exist on any comparisons used on critical Job Dimensions and Competencies.
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Summary Job Description Tasks
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. 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.
 
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.
 
Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures.
 
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.
 
Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
 
Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends.
 
Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.
 
Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, or drills, in order to bore charge holes.
 
Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools.
 
Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information.
 
Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
 
Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
 
Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
 
Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.
 
Insert powder charges into chambers of sidewall sample-taking cylinders, and assemble cylinders, using special wrenches.
 
Obtain samples of earth from sidewalls of well boreholes, using electrically exploding devices.
 
Signal hoist operators to lower torpedoes or sample-taking guns into wells and to raise equipment for sampling from blast holes after detonation.
 
Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
 
Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Important Knowledge Competencies Competency Description
Public Safety and Security Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 
Law and Government Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 
Mathematics Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 
Engineering and Technology Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 
Administration and Management Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 
Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 
Transportation Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 
English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 
Production and Processing Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 
Mechanical Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 
Clerical Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 
Design Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Important Skill Competencies Competency Description
Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
 
Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
 
Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
 
Judgment and Decision Making Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
 
Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
 
Operation and Control Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
 
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
 
Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
 
Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
 
Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
 
Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
 
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
 
Learning Strategies Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
 
Instructing Teaching others how to do something.
 
Management of Personnel Resources Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
 
Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
 
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
 
Troubleshooting Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Important Ability Competencies Competency Description
Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
 
Manual Dexterity The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
 
Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
 
Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
 
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
 
Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
 
Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
 
Arm-Hand Steadiness The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
 
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
 
Finger Dexterity The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
 
Multilimb Coordination The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
 
Reaction Time The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
 
Control Precision The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
 
Visual Color Discrimination The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
 
Selective Attention The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
 
Depth Perception The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
 
Category Flexibility The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
 
Flexibility of Closure The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
 
Perceptual Speed The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
 
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
 
Visualization The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
 
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
 
Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
 
Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
 
Time Sharing The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
 
Static Strength The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
 
Trunk Strength The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
 
Extent Flexibility The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
 
Hearing Sensitivity The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
 
Written Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
 
Originality The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
 
Rate Control The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
 
Auditory Attention The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Prerequisite Qualification Category Education and Experience Level
Required Level of Education High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)
 
Related Work Experience Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
 
On-Site or In-Plant Training Up to and including 1 month
 
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
Alternate Job Title(s)
Aircraft Ordnance Technician
Blast Setter
Blaster
Blasting Clay Miner
Blasting Coal Miner
Blasting Contract Man
Blasting Contract Miner
Blasting Entry Specialist
Blasting Entryman
Blasting Gang Miner
Blasting Miner
Bomb Technician
Charger
Coal Shooter
Company Miner, Blasting
Copper Miner, Blasting
Demolition Expert
Demolition Worker
Demolitionist
Dobie Man
Dobie Worker
Driftman
Dynamite Shooter
Dynamiter
Efficiency Miner, Blasting
Explosive Expert
Explosive Man
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Manager
Explosive Ordnance Handler
Explosive Ordnance Manager
Explosive Ordnance Specialist
Explosive Ordnance Technician
Explosive Specialist
Explosive Technician
Explosives Detonator
Firer
Fuse Cutter
Gold Miner, Blasting
Gun Perforator
Gun Perforator Loader
Hard Rock Miner, Blasting
High Scaler
Hydraulic Miner, Blasting
Iron Miner, Blasting
Lead Miner, Blasting
Lode Miner, Blasting
Metal Miner, Blasting
Mica Miner, Blasting
Miner
Muck Miner, Blasting
Nitro Man
Nitro Worker
Oil Well Gun Perforator Operator
Oil Well Perforator Operator
Oil Well Shooter
Ordnance Artificer
Ordnance Handler
Ordnance Keeper
Ore Miner, Blasting
Perforator
Perforator Loader
Perforator Operator
Pillar Man
Pillar Worker
Powder Loader
Powder Worker
Powderman
Quartz Miner, Blasting
Robber
Sample Taker Operator
Seismograph Shooter
Shaft Sinker
Shale Miner, Blasting
Shooter
Shot Fireman
Shot Firer
Shot Hole Shooter
Shot Lighter
Shot Man
Shotblaster
Silver Miner, Blasting
Skip Miner, Blasting
Stump Blower
Stump Shooter
Tier and Detonator
Torpedo Man
Torpedo Shooter
Torpedo Worker
Tunnel Man
Tunnel Worker
Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer
Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Worker
Velocity Shooter
Well Blower
Well Shooter
Zinc Miner, Blasting
 
CompGeo Occupation Group: Mining
Job Family: Mining
Benchmark Title: Blasters and Explosives Workers
 
 
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