Occupation
Drill and blast technician
Drill and blast technicians design, load, and fire the blasts that break rock on mines, quarries, and civil projects. The work covers marking and checking drill patterns, handling explosives and initiation systems, and controlling the exclusion zone before firing. Explosives handling is tightly regulated and the role carries permit and record-keeping obligations wherever it is done.
Also known as: Blaster · Shotfirer · Drill and blast operator · Explosives technician
Occupation content
Part of Utilities, energy, mining and resources
What the work involves
- Mark out and check drill patterns against the blast design and actual face conditions.
- Measure and log blastholes for depth, water, and deviation before loading.
- Load explosives and initiation systems and tie in the firing sequence.
- Secure the exclusion zone, confirm all clear, and fire the blast under the shotfiring procedure.
- Inspect the muck pile and face afterwards for misfires and unstable ground.
- Maintain explosives magazine, transport, and usage records to regulatory requirements.
How people commonly enter
- An explosives handling and shotfiring course combined with supervised experience under a certified blaster.
- Progressing from a drill operator or blast crew helper role through on-the-job training.
- A college certificate in mining or drilling and blasting technology.
- Transferring from quarrying, tunnelling, or military explosives experience with civilian certification added.
Typical training: Short course or on-the-job training
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions — confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Typical work context
Outdoors · Physically active · High responsibility · Team based · Shift work
Related interests
Realistic (hands-on) · Conventional (organizing)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Utilities, energy, mining and resources.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- US BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Construction and Extraction Occupations · United States
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- O*NET OnLine — occupation search: explosives worker ordnance handling expert and blaster · United States
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- Employment and Social Development Canada — National Occupational Classification (NOC) · Canada
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Utilities, energy, mining and resources in Canada, not a figure for Drill and blast technician. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Utilities, energy, mining and resources family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Utilities, energy, mining and resources: education pathways
Some roles in Utilities, energy, mining and resources may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Utilities, energy, mining and resources: licensing
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