1. Home
  2. Jobs & Careers
  3. Explore Careers
Back

Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (NOC 7372)

Table of contents
About this job Earnings and Outlook Duties Work environment Workforce and employment statistics
Job requirements Work-related skills Related careers Career paths and resources
View full profile

About this job

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
Common job titles
  • driller, open-pit / seismic prospecting
  • operator, air-track drill
  • operator, core drill
  • operator, diamond drill
  • operator, drilling machine
  • driller, open-pit / seismic prospecting
  • operator, air-track drill
  • operator, core drill
  • operator, diamond drill
  • operator, drilling machine

Earnings

Annual provincial median salary

$67,808

Source: 2018 Job Bank Wage data

Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2018 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))

Provincial hourly rate

  • High
  • Median
  • Low

Source: 2018 Job Bank Wage Report

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029)

Provincial outlook

Forecasted average employment growth rate

  • 2019 - 2024
  • 2024 - 2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job openings

10 year expected job openings: 170

  • 2019
  • 2024
  • 2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Composition of job openings

 
New jobs due to economic growth:
6.2%
10 openings
 
Replacement of retiring workers:
93.8%
150 openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Regional outlook

Select a region to view regional outlook
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
Cariboo
Employment in 2019:
N/A
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
N/A
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
N/A
Kootenay
Employment in 2019:
40
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
-0.1%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
10
Mainland / Southwest
Employment in 2019:
250
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.6%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
60
North Coast & Nechako
Employment in 2019:
30
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.4%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
10
Northeast
Employment in 2019:
N/A
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
N/A
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
N/A
Thompson-Okanagan
Employment in 2019:
90
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
-0.3%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
20
Vancouver Island / Coast
Employment in 2019:
220
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
-0.5%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
30

N/A - Data not available

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

Work environment

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.

Workforce and employment statistics

Workforce characteristics

500 workers are employed
40% of workers are working mostly full time

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by gender

  Men
  Women

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by age group

  15 - 24 years
  25 - 44 years
  45 - 64 years
  65+ years

Source: 2016 Census

Labour force by industry

Construction:
71%
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction:
18%
Manufacturing:
4%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services:
4%
Wholesale Trade:
2%
View more industry data

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by region

Select your region:
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
  % employment of this occupation
  % employment of all occupations
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland / Southwest
North Coast & Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island / Coast

Source: 2016 Census

Career paths and resources

Career paths

Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Drillers and blasters often perform both drilling and blasting activities.

Additional resources

Save this profile

To save this career profile, please log in to your WorkBC job seeker account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one now.
Profile last updated:
January 23, 2018
RECENT JOB OPENINGS
Experienced Diamond Driller
Driftwood Diamond Drilling Ltd.
Smithers
January 10, 2020
Driller
Conuma Coal Resources LTD
Chetwynd,Tumbler Ridge
September 30, 2019

Career Tools
Blueprint Builder Career Compass Career Trek High Opportunity Occupations