Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Drillers

• Drive and operate tracked or truck-mounted rotary drilling, air-track or other drilling machines to bore large blast holes to specified depths at staked positions in open-pit mine or quarry

• Operate drilling machines to drill blast holes in rock at road or other construction sites

• Operate tracked or truck-mounted drill equipped with auger or other attachment to drill holes for building foundations or pilings

• May measure location and stake out pattern of holes to be drilled, load blast holes with explosives and detonate explosives to dislodge coal, ore or rock.

• Blasters

• Read instructions or diagrams, lay out drill pattern and determine depth and diameter of blast holes and conduct field tests to determine type and quantity of explosives required

• Assemble or direct other workers to assemble primer charges using selected detonators, fuses, detonating cords and other materials

• Load explosives in blast holes by hand or direct movement of bulk explosives trucks to load holes

• Connect electrical wires, detonating cords or fuses into series and connect series to blasting machines; press handle or button to detonate charges

• Handle, store and transport explosives and accessories in accordance with regulations and ensure that safety procedures are observed

• May operate air-track, rotary, down-the-hole or other drilling machines to drill blast holes or may direct drilling of blast holes.

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.

• On-the-job training is provided.

• Experience as a heavy equipment operator may be required for drillers.

• Drillers and blasters often perform both drilling and blasting activities.

• Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.