Shotfirers and blasters, position, assemble, and detonate explosives at mining, quarrying and demolition sites.
Skill level:
Semi-skilled
Check your Wage
- Salary range for the majority of workers in Shotfirers and blasters - from $2,000 to $5,110 per month - 2024.
- A Shotfirers and blasters typically earns between $2,000 and $3,655 gross per month at the start of the job.
- After 5 years of service, this is between $2,117 and $4,086 per month for a working week of 40 hours.
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Tasks and duties
- Ensuring that workplace safety and explosives handling, storage and transport procedures and regulations are followed
- Planning and giving instructions for the lay out, depth and diameter of blast holes
- Checking depth and cleanliness of blast holes
- Determining quantity and type of explosives to be used
- Loading explosives into blast holes
- Assembling, or directing other workers to assemble, primer charges using detonators and explosive cartridges, and attaching electrical wires, fuses and detonating cords to primers
- Connecting wires, fuses and detonator cords into series, testing electrical circuits and repairing malfunctions, and connecting series to blasting machines
- Covering charges, filling blast holes with rock dust, sand and other materials, and tamping material to compact charges
- Ensuring that all explosives are detonated, and reporting and attending to misfires
- Declaring blast areas safe before and after detonation of explosives
- Compiling and maintaining records about usage of explosives in compliance with laws and regulations
