Job Details
Sector(s)
Construction; Operations and Maintenance
Median Pay
$60,360 per year
$29.02 per hour
Job Type
Mid-Level
Typical Entry-Level
Education and Work
Experience
Requirements
Completion of a commercial diver training program through a technical institute or military program
Alternate Titles
Diver, diver tender, hard-hat diver, nondestructive testing underwater welder (often shortened to NDT U/W welder), salvage diver, and tender.
Brief Job Description
Commercial divers work underwater using oxygen supplied from the surface or a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) diving equipment to inspect, repair, maintain, or install marine energy equipment and structures.
Education and Training Level Description
Commercial divers must have completed a diver training program through an Association of Diving Contractors International, Inc.-accredited commercial diving technical institute or military program. Diver training programs often teach students both how to dive underwater with oxygen supplied from the surface or scuba diving equipment and how to perform construction work underwater, such as welding and rigging, as well as first aid and other skills.
Many employers require commercial divers to have an Occupational Safety and Health Administration-compliant commercial diver certification. The Association of Diving Contractors International, Inc., or the International Marine Contractors Association, offers certifications in various different diving tasks and specializations.
Commercial divers generally start as entry-level tender divers and, with experience, hours of dive time, and additional certifications, can advance to work on more complex projects and receive greater compensation.
Job Profile
Commercial divers are key to the marine energy workforce. Commercial divers work in both the construction and operations and maintenance sectors, performing underwater construction work as well as inspecting and repairing installed underwater equipment.
During marine energy array construction, commercial divers use either surface-supplied oxygen or scuba diving equipment to perform a variety of underwater tasks. Divers rig large equipment or construction materials underwater, set or guide pilings needed for ocean-floor-based structures, and use underwater welding equipment and hand tools to build underwater structures or install marine energy components.
During the operation and maintenance of a marine energy array, commercial divers are needed to inspect, maintain, and repair underwater structures. Commercial divers sometimes use underwater cameras, video, or other inspection equipment to show issues to other workers and engineers above the water. After the maintenance or repair needs of the equipment have been assessed, commercial divers use underwater welding equipment and hand tools to perform the repairs.
Commercial divers also have to think about safety precautions before and during each dive. Before starting a dive, divers must maintain their equipment, research the depth and environment (e.g., temperature, visibility, currents) they will be diving into, and decide what safety precautions or equipment is needed for the dive. During a dive, they work with workers on the surface of the water to communicate their needs and inform workers of their progress.
Commercial divers in the marine energy industry generally:
- Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin
- Check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges
- Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater using signal lines or telephones
- Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits
- Set or guide placement of pilings or sandbags to provide support for structures, such as docks, bridges, cofferdams, or platforms
- Rig and install shackles, chains, and slings underwater to move large and heavy equipment
- Inspect the condition of underwater structures
- Operate underwater video, sonar, recording, or related equipment to investigate underwater structures
- Repair ships and other structures below the water line using caulk, bolts, hand tools, etc.
- Repair or install underwater steel structures using underwater welding equipment, jigs, and supports
- Carry out nondestructive testing, such as tests for cracks on the legs of large marine structures at sea.
Job Skills
Commercial divers typically need:
- To be a strong swimmer. Commercial divers must be extremely comfortable in the water and be experienced swimmers in order to perform the underwater maneuvering required for the job.
- To be safety and detail oriented. Diving underwater can be dangerous if divers do not pay close attention to their safety equipment, such as oxygen tanks, valves, and other devices. Divers must check their equipment consistently and thoroughly before and during dives to make sure they always have enough oxygen while working.
- Physical abilities. Commercial divers often move and carry heavy equipment both above ground (e.g., oxygen tanks, construction materials) and underwater (e.g., construction materials, equipment, and tools).
- Math skills. Commercial divers must be able to do mental math to quickly determine how much air they have left in their scuba diving tanks, how much time they have been underwater, how much more time they can safely be at depth, and do simple construction mathematics.