Rock Splitter
Rock Splitter
Career Overview
Rock splitters, also called quarry workers or stone splitters, separate large blocks of natural stone into smaller sections for use in construction, landscaping, monuments, countertops, and other stone products. They measure and mark stone, operate cutting and drilling equipment, and use specialized tools to shape and separate rock.
Education
No specific post-secondary degree is generally required. Training is typically provided on the job, although vocational training in construction, quarrying, stonework, or equipment operation can be helpful. A high school diploma or equivalent may be preferred by some employers.
Future Outlook
Employment opportunities for rock splitters are closely connected to construction, quarrying, stone production, and demand for natural building materials. Current occupational projections indicate steady employment overall, with openings expected primarily through ongoing demand and replacement of workers leaving the occupation. Skills in equipment operation, stone cutting, measurement, and workplace safety can improve opportunities.
Work Environment
Rock splitters work primarily in quarries, stone-processing facilities, and other outdoor or industrial settings. The work can be physically demanding and may involve dust, noise, heavy materials, standing for long periods, and changing weather conditions. Workers use specialized tools and equipment and must follow workplace safety procedures
Recommended High School Courses
- Communication
- Computer Applications
- Mathematics
- Geology
- Construction safety
- Shop
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Dynamic Strength - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
- Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
- Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
- Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
- Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Cut tile, stone, or other masonry materials.
- Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.
- Operate detonation equipment.
- Direct construction or extraction personnel.
- Drill holes in earth or rock.
- Mark reference points on construction materials.
References
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
PayScale, Inc., https://www.payscale.com/.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.