Will “Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

48% Chance of Automation

“Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist” will probably not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #292 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

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. Includes seismograph shooters.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-5031.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 54,580.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 26.00
Currently, there are 6,310 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist”

Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns.
Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
Signal hoist operators to lower torpedoes or sample-taking guns into wells and to raise equipment for sampling from blast holes after detonation.
Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information.
Verify detonation of charges by observing control panels, or by listening for the sounds of blasts.
Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, or drills, in order to bore charge holes.
Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.
Obtain samples of earth from sidewalls of well boreholes, using electrically exploding devices.
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.
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.
Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.
Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
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.
Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools.
Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends.
Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.
Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures.
Insert powder charges into chambers of sidewall sample-taking cylinders, and assemble cylinders, using special wrenches.
Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
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.

Related Technology & Tools

Electronic shock tube initiators
Short period delay detonators
Forklifts
Folding knives
Flashing warning lights
Precision tweezers
Balance scales
Wheeled wire dispensers
Right angle prisms
Fixed blade knives
Torpedo levels
Seismic activity recorders
Clinometers
Pneumatic drilling equipment
Discharge hoses
Insulated pliers
Safety goggles
Crescent wrenches
Detonating cords
Phase rotation meters
Laptop computers
Digital voltmeters
Vernier calipers
Hoisting equipment
Tongue and groove pliers
Non-contact voltage testers
Surveyors leveling rods
Perforating casing guns
Harpoon retrievers
Explosives funnels
Digital micrometers
Perforating capsule guns
Digital wattmeters
Resistance testers
Protective safety glasses
Personal computers
Phillips head screwdrivers
Spring scales
Tamping rods
Hard hats
Padded gloves
Hole savers
Bore hole thermometers
Wire cleaning brushes
Remote firing devices
Short-wave radios
Hand chisels
Equipment dollies
Wood wedges
Temperature data loggers
Non-electric delay detonators
Dewatering pumps
Overhead cranes
Wire loop pullers
Day boxes
Blasting machines
Remote blasting systems
Stakebed trucks
Avalaunchers
Grappling hooks
Hacksaws
Longnose pliers
Safety harnesses
Blasthole drills
Tie-down equipment
Laser rangefinders
Blasting cap crimpers
Jackhammers
Loading poles
Coated gloves
Meggers
Portable cranes
Safety cones
End cutting pliers
Digital calculators
Wire strippers
Portable air compressors
Digital multimeters
Rubber mallets
Hydraulic pressure gauges
Fuse cutters
Protective respirators
Explosives time delay fuses
Safety fuses
Conduit bending tools
Electricians' knives
Ammonium nitrate fuel oil ANFO loaders
Depth measurement gauges
Explosive blasting caps
Digital ohmmeters
Instantaneous electrical detonators
Weighted tape measures
Mobile radios
Explosives handling robots
Fuse testers
Electrical circuit testers
Stake flags
Test lamps
Plumb bobs
Plastic plugs
Tractor-trailer trucks
Ring gauges
Long period delay detonators
Transport trucks
Portable signal generators
Hand shears
Shock tube detonators
Extension ladders
Lowering hooks
Galvanometers
Warning sirens
Protective ear plugs
Digital ammeters
Millivoltmeters
Blast hole tubing
Wire cutting tools
Pallet jacks
Surface connector blocks

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