National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011

A

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8 - Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations

84 - Workers in natural resources, agriculture and related production

841 - Mine service workers and operators in oil and gas drilling

8411 - Underground mine service and support workers

Underground mine service and support workers perform a range of duties related to the operation of orepasses, chutes and conveyor systems, the construction and support of underground structures, passages and roadways, and the supply of materials and supplies to support underground mining. They are employed by coal, metal and non-metallic mineral mines.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • backfiller - underground mining
    • blaster helper - underground mining
    • cage tender
    • conveyor operator - underground mining
    • crusher operator - underground mining
    • driller helper - underground mining
    • haulageman/woman - underground mining
    • lamp keeper - underground mining
    • materialman/woman - underground mining
    • mine construction worker
    • orepass tender - underground mining
    • pipeworker - underground mining
    • raise miner helper
    • skip tender
    • timberman/woman - underground mining
    • trainman/woman - underground mining

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (7372)
    • Mine labourers (8614)
    • Underground production and development miners (8231)
  • Main duties

    Underground mine service and support workers perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Operate and maintain ore chutes or conveyor systems to control flow of ore or coal in underground mine
    • Operate construction equipment such as bulldozer, grader or backhoe to build and maintain underground passages and haulageways
    • Construct and repair wood or metal supports and structures such as bulkheads, platforms, drift doors and chutes using construction and mining tools
    • Attach and extend ventilation and water pipes and related mine services
    • Assist miners in setting up and operating various drills and other mining machinery
    • Supply and maintain backfill distribution of sand, rock or other materials
    • Operate diesel or electric track haulage equipment such as ore trains to distribute personnel and supplies and to convey ore from orepass to primary crusher or skip
    • Maintain supply storage areas and maintain equipment and supplies such as explosives, drill bits, fire extinguishers, lamps and batteries
    • Perform routine maintenance of machinery.
  • Employment requirements

    • Completion of secondary school is usually required.
    • Previous formal training of up to six weeks followed by periods of on-the-job training as a helper or in support occupations is usually required.
    • Previous experience as a mine labourer is usually required.
    • May be certified in the basic common core program in Ontario.
    • Company licensing or certification is often required for occupations in this unit group.
  • Additional information

    • Mobility is possible to other occupational groups in underground mining.
    • There is mobility between employers within each of the three following sectors: underground coal mining, underground hard rock mining and underground potash, salt or soft rock mining.
    • Mobility between these sectors is somewhat limited by differences in production technologies.
8412 - Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators

Oil and gas well drilling workers operate drilling and service rig machinery as intermediate members of the rig crew. Oil and gas well services operators drive trucks and operate specialized hydraulic pumping systems to place cement in wells or to treat wells with chemicals, sand mixtures or gases to stimulate production. Workers in this unit group are employed by drilling and well service contractors and by petroleum producing companies.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • acidizer, oil field services
    • blender operator - oil field services
    • control room operator - offshore drilling
    • derrickman/woman
    • motorhand - oil and gas drilling
    • oil well cementer, oil field services
    • pumper operator - oil field services
    • pumpman/woman - oil field services
    • rig technician - derrickhand
    • seismic buried facilities locator

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services (8222)
    • Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers (8615)
    • Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers (8232)
  • Main duties

    Oil and gas well drilling workers perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Use specialized equipment, information and maps to determine and document the location of buried pipelines and other utilities in preparation for seismic exploration and drilling activities
    • Align and manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem from platform on rig derrick during removal and replacement of strings of pipe, or drill stem and drill bit
    • Operate and maintain drilling mud systems and pumps during drilling, and mix mud, chemicals and additives
    • Record mud flows and volumes and take samples
    • Operate and maintain drilling rig diesel motors, transmissions and other mechanical equipment
    • Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs
    • Supervise floorhands and labourers.

    Oil and gas well services operators perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Drive well services truck to well site
    • Assemble pumping equipment and attach pumps and hoses to wellhead
    • Operate hydraulic pumping systems to pump chemicals, gases, sand, cement or other material into well
    • Read gauges to monitor pressure, density, rate and concentration and adjust pumping procedure as required
    • May mix chemicals and cements.
  • Employment requirements

    • Completion of secondary school is required.
    • Training of up to three months with an experienced operator is required for oil and gas well services operators.
    • Completion of petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required.
    • One year of experience as a floorhand, assistant or labourer is usually required.
    • Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), cryogenic safety or in other safety concerns may be required.
    • Rig technician certification for motorhands and derrickhands may be required by some employers.
  • Additional information

    • Progression to oil and gas well driller or service rig operator is possible with experience.
    • Progression to supervisor of well services is possible for gas and oil well services operators.
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