Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Planning military EOD operations provides relevant experience for civilian explosives work, although construction blasting involves different methods and competency standards.
How to prepare: Have a prospective employer assess your existing qualifications and documented EOD experience against its blasting work and applicable jurisdictional rules: OSHA construction standards require demonstrated safe, method-specific competency and knowledge of state and local explosives laws. For work involving possession of explosives, distinguish employee access from business licensing: federal license or permit holders must report newly authorized employee possessors to ATF, which conducts a background check when appropriate.
What the civilian work involves
- 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.