Shotfirers and blasters

Shotfirers and blasters, position, assemble, and detonate explosives at mining, quarrying and demolition sites.

Job Responsibilities

• 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