What Do Commercial Divers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Commercial Divers work below surface of water, using scuba gear to inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures. May use a variety of power and hand tools, such as drills, sledgehammers, torches, and welding equipment. May conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, or photograph structures or marine life. They also take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions.
• Supervise or train other divers, including hobby divers.
• Inspect the condition of underwater steel or wood structures.

We asked Commercial Divers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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67% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 52% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Commercial Divers check and maintain diving equipment, such as helmets, masks, air tanks, harnesses, or gauges. They obtain information about diving tasks and environmental conditions.

A typical day for a Commercial Diver will also include:

• Take appropriate safety precautions, such as monitoring dive lengths and depths and registering with authorities before diving expeditions begin.
• Descend into water with the aid of diver helpers, using scuba gear or diving suits.
• Supervise or train other divers, including hobby divers.
• Communicate with workers on the surface while underwater, using signal lines or telephones.
• Repair ships, bridge foundations, or other structures below the water line, using caulk, bolts, and hand tools.

We asked some Commercial Divers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	47% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	71% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	68% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	15% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	3% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	45% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Commercial Divers also inspect and test docks, ships, buoyage systems, plant intakes or outflows, or underwater pipelines, cables, or sewers, using closed circuit television, still photography, and testing equipment. They may also inspect the condition of underwater steel or wood structures.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Commercial Divers Recover objects by placing rigging around sunken objects, hooking rigging to crane lines, and operating winches, derricks, or cranes to raise objects. They might also Cut and weld steel, using underwater welding equipment, jigs, and supports.

In addition, they Take test samples or photographs to assess the condition of vessels or structures.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Operate underwater video, sonar, recording, or related equipment to investigate underwater structures or marine life.

To some Commercial Divers, it is also their responsibility to Carry out non-destructive testing, such as tests for cracks on the legs of oil rigs at sea.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.

In a typical work week as a Commercial Diver, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2007/winter/yawhat.pdf

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499092.htm