Quarry workers and related operatives

£38,586

Average salary

Average annual salary UK 2020 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

60 hours

Average weekly hours

Average weekly hours UK 2019 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

13.1%

Pay growth from 2017 to 2018

Average change in weekly pay rate | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

8.48%

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate UK 2020 | Labour Force Survey

Definition: Quarry workers and related operatives

*SOC Code (Standard Occupational Classification): 8123

Quarry workers erect supports in underground workings, set and detonate explosives to loosen rocks and set up and operate drilling equipment to extract minerals (other than coal) from the ground, and operate machinery to wash, crush or separate stone and ores.

Common tasks include:

inspects blasting area, drills shot holes, inserts explosives and detonates charges to loosen large pieces of rock/ore;
assembles drilling and cutting tools, operates controls to start machines and to regulate the speed and pressure of cutting and drilling;
erects timber or metal supports to shore up tunnel and assists tunnel miner with the excavation of vertical shafts and underground tunnels;
conveys goods and materials to and from the workface, loads and unloads mine cars and transfers materials from underground and surface conveyors to bunkers, tubs and rail trucks;
operates agitators/vibrators to separate minerals and ensures that screened, filtered, crushed and separated material is discharged to appropriate chutes or conveyors;
performs other mining and quarrying tasks not elsewhere classified including digging clay from open pits, operating high-pressure hoses to wash china clay from open pit faces and otherwise assisting miners.

Qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Drilling Operations and Process Operations (Extractive Industries) are available at Level 2. There is a minimum age limit of 18 for underground work.

*Introduced in 1990, SOC is a multi-purpose common classification of occupations in UK. Jobs are defined in terms of skill level and skill content, including qualifications, training and work experience.

Employment status: Quarry workers and related operatives

Regional employment: Quarry workers and related operatives

Future employment: Quarry workers and related operatives

Top 12 industries: Quarry workers and related operatives

Alternative & related job titles: Quarry workers and related operatives

Labourer, miner's, tunnel Buddler Attendant, screen (mine) Man, bargain (mine: not coal: below ground) Foreman, screens Airwayman (mine: not coal) Worker, process (clay extraction) Assistant, sinker's Cutter, bottom Foreman, screen Helper, operator's, wireline Worker, underground (mine: not coal) Chainman (mine: not coal) Crusherman (mine: not coal: Foreman, pit Splitter (mine: not coal: below ground) Roughneck Blaster (mine: not coal) Crusher (mine: not coal: Hand, mill (mine: not coal) Washer, gravel Jigman (mine: not coal) Foreman, outside (mine: not coal) Man, clay (clay pit) Miller, stone (mine: not coal) Man, floor (oil wells) Operator, crusher (mine) Miner, tin Attendant, unit, cracker Charger, drill Foreman, yard (mine: not coal) Washer, lime Breaker (mine: not coal) Master, quarry Attendant, frame (mine: not coal) Operator, plant (quarry) Man, quarry Worker, plant, hydrating, lime Feeder, crusher (mine: not coal) Carter (mine: not coal) Man, floor, derrick (oil wells) Worker, stone (mine: not coal) Cutter, top Operator, process (clay extraction) Driver, crusher (mine: not coal) Driller (marine operations) Derrickman (oil wells) Borer, well Driller (civil engineering construction) Grinder (mine: not coal) Cleaner, blende Worker, mine (mine: not coal) Foreman, rock (mine: not coal) Foreman, quarry Getter, clay Borer, ironstone Borer, shot Attendant, plant, lime Grinder, stone, lime (quarry) Ferrier Worker, plant, screening Worker, opencast Borer (mine: not coal) Driver, drill (mine: not coal) Breaker, rock Foreman, surface (mine: not coal) Miner, clay Stamper (mine: not coal) Supervisor, service, well (oil wells) Cutter, clay Drifter (mine: not coal) Driller, core Drawer, timber (mine: not coal) Washer (mine: not coal) Operative, pit Operator, wireline Breaker and filler Changer, drill Washer, stone Man, mica (mine: not coal) Dresser, tin Attendant, crusher Man, drill (mine: not coal) Driller (mine: not coal) Firer, shot (mine: not coal) Machinist (mine: not coal) Screener (mine: not coal) Attendant, plant, coal Washer, grit Man, mill (mine: not coal) Holer (mine: not coal) Borer, artesian Refiner, clay, china Digger (mine: not coal) Grinder, ganister Hand, rock (mine: not coal) Stripper (mine: not coal) Cleaner, tin (mine: not coal) Operator, separator, magnetic Cleaner, stone Riddler, sand Breaker, stone (mine: not coal) Contractor (mine: not coal) Cutter, machine (mine: not coal) Foreman, drill (mine: not coal) Lugger (mine: not coal) Attendant, plant, crushing, ore Crusher, slag Miller (mine: not coal) Trimmer, lime Attendant, house, filter (mine: not coal) Deputy (mine: not coal) Man, timber (building construction: tunnelling contracting) Separator, ore Master (mine: metal ore) Cutter (mine: not coal) Presser (mine: not coal) Operator, plant (coal mine: coal washery) Setter, timber Driller, sample (mine: not coal) Driller, machine (mine: not coal) Foreman (oil wells) Magneter Securer Gaulter Picker (mine: not coal) Miner (mine: not coal) Captain, underground Operator, plant, flotation Attendant, plant (quarry) Packer (mine: not coal) Delinter Worker, ironstone Driller, diamond (well sinking) Engineer, boring Worker, quarry Operator, washery Foreman (mine: not coal) Captain (mine: not coal) Worker, surface (mine: not coal) Riddler (mine: not coal) Picker, metal (mine: not coal) Worker, gravel (gravel extraction) Cleaner, coal Excavator (mine: not coal) Hoseman Keeker Picker, flint Man, pit (mine: not coal) Minder, crusher (mine: not coal) Breaker, coal Driller, well Rockman (mine: not coal) Channeller (mine: not coal) Worker, ground, under (mine: not coal) Man, timber (mine: not coal) Fireman (mine: not coal) Worker, sand (quarry) Foreman, explosives (mine: not coal) Brakesman (mine: not coal) Machinist, ratchet Quarrier Popper Helper, miner's (mine: not coal) Feeder (mine: not coal) Worker, ground, above (mine: not coal) Shiftman (mine: not coal) Drawer, prop Operative, quarry Worker, rig, oil (well drilling) Repairer, airway (mine: not coal) Machinist, drilling (mine: not coal) Driller (well sinking) Braker (mine: not coal) Driver (mine: not coal: below ground) Boss, shift Woodman (mine: not coal) Operator, screen (mines: quarries) Driver, roller (oil wells) Hand, surface (mine: not coal) Crusher Worker, rig, oil Delver (mine: not coal) Shotman (mine: not coal) Crusher (mines and quarries: Worker, clay (clay pit) Getter (mine: not coal)

Equality focus: Quarry workers and related operatives

Breaking down the official government big data sources by gender, age and region. Hours and pay data based on full time equlivalent roles.