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Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

Industry Areas

  • Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)
  • Support Activities for Mining
  • Metal Ore Mining

Day-to-Day Tasks

  • Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
  • Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
  • 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.

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Work Environment

Military

Ordnance specialists work indoors and outdoors. They work in repair shops while assembling explosives and repairing weapons. They work outdoors while repairing equipment in the field and loading weapons on tanks, ships, or aircraft.

Status

What is the difference between enlisted and officer?

Enlisted:
Enlisted members enter the Military with a high school diploma (in some cases a GED), at a minimum. They are employed in almost every type of military career, often in hands-on roles.

Officers: Officers either enter the Military with a four-year college degree or greater or served previously as enlisted members, and are generally employed in management roles or highly specialized fields that require intensive training.
  • no Officer
  • yes Enlisted

Military Breakdown

The number of people who currently hold this career in the Military.

25,061 Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters in the military

Service Branches

Ordnance Specialists work in the following services:

Army Marine Corps Navy Air Force

Type of Work

The level of day-to-day involvement with data, people or things.

Data: High
People: High
Things: High

Skills at a Glance

The levels of different skills helpful in this career.

Verbal skills: Medium
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: High
Equipment Operation & Maintenance: High
Math & Science Skills: Medium
Technology Design & Control: Medium
Leadership: Medium

Workplace at a Glance

The level of different environmental factors you would experience on the job.

Responsibility: High
Exposure to Job Hazards: High
Physical Activity: High
Decision Making: High
Repetitiveness: Medium
Level of Competition: High
Time Pressure: High