NEWLAND — N.C. Department of Transportation staff from across the state recently met in Avery County for hands-on explosives training.
The week-long training, typically held every autumn, teaches employees the proper handling and use of explosives for transportation engineering, whether they’re clearing rock to install a pipe or working through an emergency to clear rockslide debris.
“Our mission here is to get the new folks trained up with all of our seasoned folks that have been doing this for years and crossover to the new generation that, in a few years, will be taking over the program,” said NCDOT Safety Consultant Mark Scott.
Forty-seven NCDOT employees attended the training in November, including transportation workers, early career engineers and division leaders. Kevin Dixon, a transportation worker in the triad, said the training also builds camaraderie.
“You meet people from all over the state,” Dixon said. “So if I’ve got an issue in my division, I don’t hesitate to call … somebody on the other end of the state and say, ‘Hey, what would you do about this?’”
Thomas Smith, a transportation engineering associate in the greater Asheville area, joined NCDOT earlier this year. While his day-to-day job likely won’t involve setting charges to clear rock, he found the learning experience at blasting school priceless.
“As an engineer, it’s important to understand all aspects of the DOT, what we do, stuff we may encounter,” Smith said. “I would rather personally have the knowledge of how explosives work, how they’re used safely, so if I’m ever on a jobsite where they’re being used (or) I’m working on a contract where they’re being used, I know that they’re being used safely and appropriately.”
NCDOT has positions open across the state. Visit
NCDOT.gov/careers to explore opportunities.