Job Description

Job Summary
A blasting supervisor oversees and coordinates all aspects of drilling and blasting operations, ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance with regulations. They are responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring blasting activities, managing personnel, and maintaining equipment. Key responsibilities include developing blast plans, supervising blasting crews, ensuring proper handling and storage of explosives, and maintaining accurate records.

Essential Functions
• The primary responsibility is to create and maintain a safe working environment for all personnel involved in drilling and blasting operations.
• This includes enforcing all relevant safety regulations, such as those related to explosives handling, storage, transportation, and blasting procedures.
• Identifying and mitigating potential hazards associated with drilling and blasting, such as fly rock, ground vibrations, and air blasts.
• Developing and implementing emergency response plans for potential incidents related to blasting operations.
• Developing and implementing detailed blast plans, including hole patterns, charge weights, and timing sequences.
• Directing and supervising the work of drilling and blasting crews, ensuring efficient and safe execution of tasks.
• Ensuring all drilling and blasting equipment is properly maintained and operated.
• Managing the inventory of explosives and related materials, ensuring proper storage and handling procedures are followed.
• Maintaining accurate records of all blasting activities, including blast designs, charge weights, and any incidents or near misses.
• Collaborating with other departments, such as engineering and geology, to ensure that blasting operations align with overall mine or project plans.
• Communicating with management, staff, and clients regarding blasting operations, safety concerns, and potential impacts.
• Providing training to crew members on safe work practices, proper use of equipment, and relevant regulations.
• Mentoring and developing qualified drillers and blasters for future roles.
• Monitoring and minimizing the environmental impact of blasting operations, including dust control and vibration management.
• Managing costs associated with drilling and blasting operations, including explosives consumption and equipment maintenance.

Critical Competencies
• Self-Awareness - Recognize their own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and impact on others, using this understanding to improve their effectiveness.
• Results oriented - Sets challenging goals (individual and organizational) and tracks performance against these goals. Ensures that all projects/tasks are completed on schedule and within budget.
• Attention to Detail - Ability to thoroughly and accurately complete tasks; meticulous and precise when handling information, and is critical in ensuring the quality, accuracy, and integrity of the results.
• Critical Thinking - Ability to analyze information objectively, evaluate different perspectives, and make well-informed decisions.
• Planning and Scheduling - Effective planning of repair procedures, scheduling work considering resource availability, and maintaining necessary inventory.
• Responsive - Demonstrates the ability to react quickly and effectively to changing circumstances, new information, or urgent requests, adapting approaches and priorities as needed to ensure timely and appropriate action.

Responsibilities

Education
• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain and maintain the necessary state blasting license.
• Ability to obtain ATF permit.

Experience
• A combination of drilling and blasting related experience and technical training, preferably mining related.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Knowledge of relevant safety regulations (MSHA, ATF) and environmental standards.
• Experience in blast design, haulage fleet oversight, and primary processing.
• Must be able to provide strong leadership and guidance to employees, direct and indirect reports, to motivate and maintain interpersonal relationships.
• Must be able to form strong social relationships and effectively communicate with both internal and external audiences.
• Must have strong communication skills in representing the company in public meetings and addressing drilling and blasting-related issue resolution.
• Create computer-driven blast designs and modeling.
• Provide strong leadership skills by possessing the ability to motivate and provide mentorship to employees, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Interface, oversight, and coordination responsibilities with external contract drillers.
• Ability to cultivate strong customer relations with neighbors.
• Ability to recognize, understand, and adhere to safety protocols and procedures in the workplace; proactive in identifying potential hazards, taking steps to mitigate risks, and ensuring that both personal and collective safety are maintained in all tasks and environments.

Other Requirements
• Travel is an inherent part of this role.
• A dynamic blend of office and field settings.
• Time in the office performing administrative tasks, planning schedules, and analyzing reports.
• Be out in the field, inspecting sites, meeting with clients, and collaborating with technicians.
• Working outdoors in various weather conditions and potentially in environments with loud noise levels or moving mechanical parts.
• Ability to wear PPE with on site/location.
• The ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment and handle unexpected situations is crucial.