Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction
Career Overview
Drillers in this group operate mobile drilling machines:
- To bore blast holes in open-pit mines and quarries
- To bore holes for blasting and for building foundations at construction sites
Blasters in this group:
- Fill blast holes with explosives
- Detonate explosives to dislodge coal, ore and rock or to demolish structures
These workers are employed by:
- Mining, quarrying and construction companies
- Drilling and blasting contractors
Job Titles
Duties
Drillers in this group:
- 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
- Run 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 in this group
- 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 needed
- 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 make sure that safety procedures are followed
- May operate air-track, rotary, down-the-hole or other drilling machines to drill blast holes
- May direct drilling of blast holes
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
645% Employed Full Time
47%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place outdoors, so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions
- Work also takes inside heavy equipment such as drilling machines
- Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools may be a potential source of injury
- Exposure to flying particles and falling objects in the work environment pose the risk of injury
- Working with explosives in dangerous locations means workers must follow safety precautions
- Loud noises in the workplace can affect hearing
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Drillers and blasters often perform both drilling and blasting activities.
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- On-the-job training is provided
- Experience as a heavy equipment operator may be required for drillers
- Experience as a blaster helper in surface mining and quarrying or construction may be required for blasters
- Provincial blasting licence is usually required for blasters
- Trade certification for blasters is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick and Ontario
Blasters who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact the WorkSafe BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
645Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 35 | 5.4% |
| Kootenay | 25 | 3.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 200 | 31.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 30 | 4.7% |
| Northeast | 10 | 1.6% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 140 | 21.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 215 | 33.3% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
170Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | -2.0% |
| Kootenay | 10 | 0.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 60 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 50 | 1.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 60 | 0.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 110 |
| Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction | 60 |
Resources
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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Canadian Avalanche Associationwww.avalanche.ca/caa/resources/job-classifieds
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Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME)www.ime.org
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International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE)www.isee.org
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Transport Canada – Transportation of Dangerous Goodswww.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/safety-menu.htm