Underwater Welding Experience

[big bubba]

Any veteran underwater welders? Not just anecdotal stories, but direct field experience: Why so dangerous? Where does most of the work occur? Improved safety & equip through the years? Your story
almost became one right out of welding school back in the day. Missed the underwater welding school in Long Beach by a few days & went the path of general fabricator/machine shop stuff above water.

Given the income, did i make a mistake? still basically arc here, but above the surface & enjoying retirement (without eye or respiratory issues thankfully), regards

 

[ratflinger]

My nephew does it out of New Orleans, makes good coin when he's out, but that doesn't always happen. During the last oil bust he was stuck with a land job until it came back.

 

[California]

Given the income, did i make a mistake? still basically arc here, but above the surface & enjoying retirement (without eye or respiratory issues thankfully)

Father of a friend learned underwater welding in the navy of a South American country. He turned that education into a successful welding/structural fabrication business. Now 50 years later his health is poor, he was obviously in pain when I attended the son's wedding.

I don't think you made a mistake.

 

[Rockbadchild]

According to one study, underwater welders have the highest fatality rate of any occupation. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track fatality rates of underwater welders as its own group, estimates in the industry put the figure at 15%. For comparison, other highly dangerous jobs such as loggers and fishermen have fatality rates of below 0.2%. That means underwater welders are more than 75 times as likely to die on the job as some of America's most dangerous occupations.

• Electric Shock – Electrocution is the biggest threat to underwater welders. Special waterproof equipment must be used for all underwater welding jobs. It is essential that all equipment be properly tested and insulated prior to use.
• Explosions – Gas pockets created by the formation of hydrogen and oxygen pose a huge risk to underwater welders. If ignited, these pockets can result in lethal explosions.
• Drowning – A failure of any part of an underwater welders SCUBA gear could lead to drowning.
• Decompression Sickness – Also known as diver's disease, decompression sickness occurs when divers inhale harmful gases when moving between pressure zones. Extreme cases of decompression sickness can be fatal.
• Ear, Lung, and Nose Damage – Spending a lot of time in high pressure waters can lead to long-term ear, lung, and nose damage.
• Marine Wildlife – While not commonly attacked, underwater welders must be conscious of marine wildlife such as sharks and other potentially deadly creatures.

The Dangers of Underwater Welding

It is estimated that underwater welders have a 15% fatality rate. What risks to underwater welders take that makes the fatality rate so high?

www.offshoreinjuryfirm.com

 

[big bubba]

thanks on that. had no idea that many hazards, no wonder the pay is high.

 

[Rockbadchild]

You also have to assume that hypothermia would be a risk as well and also for the high pay you have to consider once you go down you don't come back up for lunch or secretion you weld until your job is done that alone is worth a buck or two in my opinion.

 

[big bubba]

you'd think robotics would now start replacing dangerous welding work like that. guess it's all about the $

 

[Rockbadchild]

I robot vacuum style robot for welding that's a idea !!!... but yeah the challenge for robots and to find and asses the damage in order to fix it too many variables. Robots do weld on pipelines but it is meticulously prep and set up by humans. In the automobile industry, robots are program to do the same weld over and over not much variables there.