Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Construction and Extraction Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 47-5032.00
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.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.12–0.19· 3 ISCO-08 groups
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
- ISCO-08 7542Shotfirers and Blasters0.12
- ISCO-08 8111Miners and Quarriers0.17
- ISCO-08 8113Well Drillers and Borers and Related Workers0.19
Task-level exposure
Show 25 hidden tasks30 rated tasks · 5 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (16.7%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 3 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.O*NET Task ID 9910 | 1.0 |
Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.O*NET Task ID 9920 | 1.0 |
Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information.O*NET Task ID 9923 | 1.0 |
Document geological formations encountered during work.O*NET Task ID 23491 | 1.0 |
Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.O*NET Task ID 23490 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (27)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed. | Core |
| Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions. | Core |
| Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions. | Core |
| Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. | Core |
| Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges. | Core |
| Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions. | Core |
| Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws. | Core |
| Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures. | Core |
| Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material. | Core |
| Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns. | Core |
| Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives. | Core |
| Verify detonation of charges by observing control panels, or by listening for the sounds of blasts. | Core |
| Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures. | Core |
| Light fuses, drop detonating devices into wells or boreholes, or activate firing devices with plungers, dials, or buttons, in order to set off single or multiple blasts. | Core |
| Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites. | Core |
| Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends. | Core |
| Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary. | Core |
| Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools. | Core |
| Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information. | Supplemental |
| Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place. | Supplemental |
| Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports. | Supplemental |
| Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples. | Supplemental |
| Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns. | — |
| Document geological formations encountered during work. | — |
| Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes. | — |
| Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, and drills, in order to bore charge holes. | — |
| Signal crane operators to move equipment. | — |
1.16/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. | E0 none |
| Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges. | E2 structured facilities |
| Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions. | E2 structured facilities |
| Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures. | E3 unstructured settings |
| Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives. | E0 none |
| Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures. | E2 structured facilities |
| Light fuses, drop detonating devices into wells or boreholes, or activate firing devices with plungers, dials, or buttons, in order to set off single or multiple blasts. | E2 structured facilities |
| Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites. | E2 structured facilities |
| Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary. | E2 structured facilities |
| Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools. | E0 none |
| Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples. | E2 structured facilities |
| Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes. | E2 structured facilities |
| Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, and drills, in order to bore charge holes. | E2 structured facilities |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 5K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 5K
- Change (2025–35)
- +0%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $61,390
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78491 | 점화·발파 및 화약 관리원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 78293 | 건물 해체원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7542Shotfirers and Blasters
- ISCO-08 8111Miners and Quarriers
- ISCO-08 8113Well Drillers and Borers and Related Workers
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- bomb disposal technicianESCO 0310.2This occupation is broader
Bomb disposal technicians search areas using special equipment such as metal detectors, or using trained animals, for the presence of land mines and bombs, and remove the explosive materials according to safety regulations. After the search for and location of mines and bombs, they disarm them aiming to avoid any risk of detonation, and ensure the area is cleared before disarming and removal procedures.
- nitrator operatorESCO 8131.12Overlapping, not the same
Nitrator operators monitor and control equipment that processes chemical substances to produce explosives. They are responsible for the product storage in tanks.
- shotfirerESCO 7542.1Overlapping, not the same
Shotfirers set up and safely detonate explosives at a site in order to blast and break up in situ material.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1402 | Boutefeu | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| L1523 | Artificier / Artificière spectacle | This occupation is broader |
| I1514 | Technicien / Technicienne en dépollution | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| K1729 | Opérateur / Opératrice en pyrotechnie militaire | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7892 | Pegadores | Same scope |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 21123 | Berufe in der Sprengtechnik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Same scopeprovisional |
| 21122 | Berufe in der Sprengtechnik - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 21124 | Berufe in der Sprengtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 94582 | Berufe in der Veranstaltungs-, Kamera- und Tontechnik (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 699 | その他の採掘従事者 | This occupation is narrower |
| 683 | ダム・トンネル掘削従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources