How to become an explosives worker, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
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.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters do
- Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
- Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
- 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.
- Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
Is explosives worker, ordnance handling experts, and blasters a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 20% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- North Carolina $85,630
- Wyoming $85,070
- California $80,370
- New Mexico $78,960
- Tennessee $74,190
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.