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how safe is it to work as a welder under water. also can you get infections from the water where you weld?
whats the pay as a welder
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3 answers
Updated
Ed’s Answer
Underwater welding is a highly specialized and dangerous profession, requiring strict safety protocols due to the various risks involved. Some of the main safety concerns include:
1. Electric Shock
Concern: Since welding involves high electrical currents, there's a significant risk of electrocution in the water. Saltwater is a highly conductive medium, increasing this risk.
Safety Action: Use of proper insulation, grounding of equipment, and specialized waterproof gear (such as wet suits and gloves). All equipment should be inspected for safety before use, and welders must be trained in electrical safety.
2. Decompression Sickness (The Bends)
Concern: Underwater welders often work at significant depths, and rapid ascent can lead to nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream, which can cause serious injuries or even death.
Safety Action: Welders must follow strict decompression schedules, allowing slow ascents and mandatory stops at various depths to allow nitrogen to safely leave the body. Hyperbaric chambers are used to treat decompression sickness if it occurs.
3. Drowning
Concern: In case of equipment failure, injury, or loss of consciousness, there’s a risk of drowning.
Safety Action: Welders must always have diving assistants and backup systems (such as an emergency breathing gas supply). Full-body suits, helmets, and diving gear must be checked for leaks or other faults.
4. Explosive Gases
Concern: Welding underwater can create an environment where flammable gases can accumulate, leading to the risk of explosion. This is primarily true for dry chamber welding.
Safety Action: Use of proper ventilation and gas monitoring systems is crucial. Welders must be trained to avoid creating sparks or heat sources that could trigger an explosion.
5. Visibility
Concern: Poor visibility due to water conditions (murky, deep, or cold water) can make it hard to perform welding tasks accurately or to spot potential hazards.
Safety Action: Use of high-powered lights and ensuring clear communication with surface personnel. Proper training in low-visibility welding techniques is also essential.
6. Thermal Burns
Concern: The high temperatures involved in welding can cause severe burns, especially if the welder is not protected from heat or sparks.
Safety Action: Wearing protective gear, including fire-resistant wetsuits, gloves, and helmets, to shield the body from heat and sparks.
7. Mechanical Failures
Concern: Diving equipment, welding tools, or the hull of the vessel being worked on may malfunction, leading to serious accidents.
Safety Action: Regular inspection and maintenance of all equipment before diving. Backup equipment and emergency plans should always be in place.
8. Pressure
Concern: The underwater environment creates significant pressure, which can affect both the welder's body and the equipment.
Safety Action: Welders need to be trained to understand how pressure affects their body, especially when working at deeper depths. Equipment must be rated for the appropriate depth and pressure levels.
9. Noise
Concern: The noise generated by the welding process and the surrounding environment can be deafening and disorienting, increasing the risk of accidents.
Safety Action: Use of underwater communication systems to stay in contact with surface personnel, and ear protection is critical to mitigate hearing damage or communication difficulties.
10. Toxic Fumes
Concern: Welding can produce harmful fumes, such as carbon monoxide, ozone, and other metals that are dangerous to inhale. This is primarily true for dry chamber welding.
Safety Action: While underwater, special care must be taken to prevent inhalation of these fumes. Adequate ventilation is necessary, along with personal protective equipment like full-face masks.
The salary of an underwater welder can vary widely based on factors such as experience, location, depth of work, type of welding, and the industry they work in (e.g., oil and gas, shipbuilding, offshore drilling). However, in general, underwater welding is a well-paying profession due to the high level of risk and expertise required.
Average Salary Range:
Entry-level: For those just starting out, underwater welders can expect to make between $40,000 and $50,000 per year. Entry-level positions typically involve more basic tasks and shallower depths.
Experienced welders: With more experience (usually 3-5 years), welders can earn anywhere from $60,000 to $80,000 annually. This is typically for those who have gained more specialized skills, can handle deeper work, and have a reputation for high-quality work.
Highly experienced welders: Those with 10+ years of experience in the field, particularly those who work in the most hazardous or remote environments, can make upwards of $100,000 or more per year. Some senior welders, especially in offshore oil rigs or deep-sea diving jobs, can even reach salaries of $150,000 to $200,000 per year, depending on the specifics of the job.
Pay Per Hour:
Hourly rates can range from $25 to $100+ per hour, depending on experience and the complexity of the job. On average, underwater welders make about $50 to $75 per hour for most projects.
Additional Factors Influencing Pay:
Location: Certain regions with high demand, such as offshore oil rigs or remote locations like the Gulf of Mexico or international offshore sites, pay higher wages. Welders in the U.S., for example, often make more than those in other countries, partly due to the higher cost of living and the risks associated with the work.
Industry: Welders in the oil and gas industry typically earn higher wages than those working in shipbuilding or commercial diving because of the dangerous and demanding nature of the work in offshore oil platforms and subsea projects.
Union vs. Non-Union: Unionized underwater welders tend to earn higher wages and receive better benefits than non-union workers.
Overtime & Travel: Underwater welders often work in remote locations, which can involve overtime, weekend work, and travel to offshore sites. These factors can significantly boost their income, sometimes adding 25%-50% or more to their base pay.
Other Benefits:
Per diem: Some employers offer per diem allowances (daily allowances for meals, accommodation, etc.), especially for jobs in remote locations or offshore sites.
Health insurance and retirement plans: High-paying underwater welding jobs often come with full benefits, including health insurance, life insurance, and retirement plans.
Summary:
Underwater welding is a lucrative profession, with potential earnings ranging from $40,000 for beginners to upwards of $200,000 for experienced welders in high-demand industries. The combination of risk, technical skill, and specialized knowledge makes it one of the higher-paying trade professions.
Conclusion
Underwater welding requires a combination of specialized training, equipment, and strict adherence to safety protocols. Continuous monitoring of the environment, along with backup safety measures, is crucial to minimizing risks and ensuring the safety of the welder.
1. Electric Shock
Concern: Since welding involves high electrical currents, there's a significant risk of electrocution in the water. Saltwater is a highly conductive medium, increasing this risk.
Safety Action: Use of proper insulation, grounding of equipment, and specialized waterproof gear (such as wet suits and gloves). All equipment should be inspected for safety before use, and welders must be trained in electrical safety.
2. Decompression Sickness (The Bends)
Concern: Underwater welders often work at significant depths, and rapid ascent can lead to nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream, which can cause serious injuries or even death.
Safety Action: Welders must follow strict decompression schedules, allowing slow ascents and mandatory stops at various depths to allow nitrogen to safely leave the body. Hyperbaric chambers are used to treat decompression sickness if it occurs.
3. Drowning
Concern: In case of equipment failure, injury, or loss of consciousness, there’s a risk of drowning.
Safety Action: Welders must always have diving assistants and backup systems (such as an emergency breathing gas supply). Full-body suits, helmets, and diving gear must be checked for leaks or other faults.
4. Explosive Gases
Concern: Welding underwater can create an environment where flammable gases can accumulate, leading to the risk of explosion. This is primarily true for dry chamber welding.
Safety Action: Use of proper ventilation and gas monitoring systems is crucial. Welders must be trained to avoid creating sparks or heat sources that could trigger an explosion.
5. Visibility
Concern: Poor visibility due to water conditions (murky, deep, or cold water) can make it hard to perform welding tasks accurately or to spot potential hazards.
Safety Action: Use of high-powered lights and ensuring clear communication with surface personnel. Proper training in low-visibility welding techniques is also essential.
6. Thermal Burns
Concern: The high temperatures involved in welding can cause severe burns, especially if the welder is not protected from heat or sparks.
Safety Action: Wearing protective gear, including fire-resistant wetsuits, gloves, and helmets, to shield the body from heat and sparks.
7. Mechanical Failures
Concern: Diving equipment, welding tools, or the hull of the vessel being worked on may malfunction, leading to serious accidents.
Safety Action: Regular inspection and maintenance of all equipment before diving. Backup equipment and emergency plans should always be in place.
8. Pressure
Concern: The underwater environment creates significant pressure, which can affect both the welder's body and the equipment.
Safety Action: Welders need to be trained to understand how pressure affects their body, especially when working at deeper depths. Equipment must be rated for the appropriate depth and pressure levels.
9. Noise
Concern: The noise generated by the welding process and the surrounding environment can be deafening and disorienting, increasing the risk of accidents.
Safety Action: Use of underwater communication systems to stay in contact with surface personnel, and ear protection is critical to mitigate hearing damage or communication difficulties.
10. Toxic Fumes
Concern: Welding can produce harmful fumes, such as carbon monoxide, ozone, and other metals that are dangerous to inhale. This is primarily true for dry chamber welding.
Safety Action: While underwater, special care must be taken to prevent inhalation of these fumes. Adequate ventilation is necessary, along with personal protective equipment like full-face masks.
The salary of an underwater welder can vary widely based on factors such as experience, location, depth of work, type of welding, and the industry they work in (e.g., oil and gas, shipbuilding, offshore drilling). However, in general, underwater welding is a well-paying profession due to the high level of risk and expertise required.
Average Salary Range:
Entry-level: For those just starting out, underwater welders can expect to make between $40,000 and $50,000 per year. Entry-level positions typically involve more basic tasks and shallower depths.
Experienced welders: With more experience (usually 3-5 years), welders can earn anywhere from $60,000 to $80,000 annually. This is typically for those who have gained more specialized skills, can handle deeper work, and have a reputation for high-quality work.
Highly experienced welders: Those with 10+ years of experience in the field, particularly those who work in the most hazardous or remote environments, can make upwards of $100,000 or more per year. Some senior welders, especially in offshore oil rigs or deep-sea diving jobs, can even reach salaries of $150,000 to $200,000 per year, depending on the specifics of the job.
Pay Per Hour:
Hourly rates can range from $25 to $100+ per hour, depending on experience and the complexity of the job. On average, underwater welders make about $50 to $75 per hour for most projects.
Additional Factors Influencing Pay:
Location: Certain regions with high demand, such as offshore oil rigs or remote locations like the Gulf of Mexico or international offshore sites, pay higher wages. Welders in the U.S., for example, often make more than those in other countries, partly due to the higher cost of living and the risks associated with the work.
Industry: Welders in the oil and gas industry typically earn higher wages than those working in shipbuilding or commercial diving because of the dangerous and demanding nature of the work in offshore oil platforms and subsea projects.
Union vs. Non-Union: Unionized underwater welders tend to earn higher wages and receive better benefits than non-union workers.
Overtime & Travel: Underwater welders often work in remote locations, which can involve overtime, weekend work, and travel to offshore sites. These factors can significantly boost their income, sometimes adding 25%-50% or more to their base pay.
Other Benefits:
Per diem: Some employers offer per diem allowances (daily allowances for meals, accommodation, etc.), especially for jobs in remote locations or offshore sites.
Health insurance and retirement plans: High-paying underwater welding jobs often come with full benefits, including health insurance, life insurance, and retirement plans.
Summary:
Underwater welding is a lucrative profession, with potential earnings ranging from $40,000 for beginners to upwards of $200,000 for experienced welders in high-demand industries. The combination of risk, technical skill, and specialized knowledge makes it one of the higher-paying trade professions.
Conclusion
Underwater welding requires a combination of specialized training, equipment, and strict adherence to safety protocols. Continuous monitoring of the environment, along with backup safety measures, is crucial to minimizing risks and ensuring the safety of the welder.
This clearly an AI generated answer and it does not reflect reality. The salary is not remotely accurate and nothing here is reflecting on the author’s personal experience.
Brandon Litchfield
Updated
Brandon’s Answer
Hi there. I’m a welder, fabricator, destructive testing apprentice, and welding school instructor.
I won’t insult your intelligence or time with any AI sourced information here. I will speak directly from my own experience and knowledge I have gained first hand from other welders and industry professionals.
First and foremost, anyone who tells you they know it all in this industry is lying to you. I have over a decade of experience and the person who I work for has over four decades of experience. Yet we still both constantly learn new things.
Now to answer your question. How safe is underwater welding? The honest answer is, it is as safe as the team makes it. Like all other forms of welding there is the risk of electrocution, burns, and arc flashing your eyes. Additionally you get new hazards that are unique to diving like decompression, getting tangled up in your lines, big fish, currents, or mechanical failures of life support equipment like the heater in the dive bell. I’ve never known an underwater welder that has gotten sick from the water supply. The divers I know use dry suits and do not come in direct contact with the water.
Now let’s talk about the pay…. The reality is it’s not really any better than what you can make welding on land and the positions are fewer and farther between. 60-80k is a reasonable expectation for a UW welder. On land, experienced pipe welders working refineries in my area are making $40-$47 an hour plus $90-$140 per diem. Entry level positions doing things like MIG welding currently pay anywhere from $17-$28 an hour in my area.
I won’t insult your intelligence or time with any AI sourced information here. I will speak directly from my own experience and knowledge I have gained first hand from other welders and industry professionals.
First and foremost, anyone who tells you they know it all in this industry is lying to you. I have over a decade of experience and the person who I work for has over four decades of experience. Yet we still both constantly learn new things.
Now to answer your question. How safe is underwater welding? The honest answer is, it is as safe as the team makes it. Like all other forms of welding there is the risk of electrocution, burns, and arc flashing your eyes. Additionally you get new hazards that are unique to diving like decompression, getting tangled up in your lines, big fish, currents, or mechanical failures of life support equipment like the heater in the dive bell. I’ve never known an underwater welder that has gotten sick from the water supply. The divers I know use dry suits and do not come in direct contact with the water.
Now let’s talk about the pay…. The reality is it’s not really any better than what you can make welding on land and the positions are fewer and farther between. 60-80k is a reasonable expectation for a UW welder. On land, experienced pipe welders working refineries in my area are making $40-$47 an hour plus $90-$140 per diem. Entry level positions doing things like MIG welding currently pay anywhere from $17-$28 an hour in my area.
Updated
Andy’s Answer
Underwater welding is an extremely lucrative path to take as a Welder. There are more inherent dangers and more opportunities for catastrophic accidents, but like anything else of all the rules are followed and all precautions are in place or can be a sage career option. I personally being from the gulf coast have never heard of anyone getting infections from the water they were in. This doesn't mean that it's not possible.
In a nutshell underwater welders can almost name their price per job and you can make incredible money. Keep in mind there are comparable compensations paid to rig welders. The guys who have their own welding trucks. They make great money also.
In a nutshell underwater welders can almost name their price per job and you can make incredible money. Keep in mind there are comparable compensations paid to rig welders. The guys who have their own welding trucks. They make great money also.