I was seriously looking at doing this when i was 18(1979). The school gave me the numbers of a few retired underwaterwelders to talk to before signing up. They talked me out of the idea.
Hi, my name is Hampus and I'm currently going a education to become a commercial diver, today monday I started my underwater welding training. And I just have to say that I love it. I wish you all the best James!
I had a friend who was an underwater welder. He told me a story of welding a pipeline and feeling like something was watching him. When he looked he saw a massive squid about 8 feet away from him.
One of my instructors in welding school did underwater stuff for a while. I asked him how scary it was and he said "When it's completely dark and something alive brushes against your leg, real freaking scary."
I have been an underwater welder for greater than 38 years. I have welded on bridges, pipelines, seawalls, ships, you name it. I dont understand why they sensationalize underwater welding and say its so dangerous. If you follow the rules and use good equipment and good co-workers, you dont even know you have a live stinger in your hand. Its takes a LOT of practice and a lot of years to get good at it, if I dont weld for a while (months) I need to practice on some test plates to get my "feel" for it back, most of the time its in limited visibility water and you can't see. I use special rods, kinda like a plastic covered 7018. If you break off from the weld puddle with them they sparkle, no crap. They are also around 3-5 bucks each so I dont use them to tie things together or throw at fish, LOL. JUST FOLLOW THE RULES, DONT TAKE SHORT CUTS, HAVE GOOD PEOPLE TOPSIDES WHO STAY ALERT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HEAVY CONSTRUCTION OR MARINE JOB
Hey man can i ask how much can be earned in this job? In this moment i am In a training to become a naval welder, and i am looking underwater welding as a very good posibility in the future, but i want to know if this work is really well rewarded
What can you say about the 4 divers in Trinidad and Tobago that were left to die in a pipe line that sucked them in their company allowed these men to die. This happened at the beginning of March 2022 or so. Allowed them to die. It is a dangerous job.
I met an underwater welder early 2000s - he worked on Golden Gate Bridge. He said he worked 3 months per year and made $90K in that time - he could work more if he wanted to but didn't want to. He took the rest of the year off and traveled. It was fascinating - they'd raise deck of bridge (4-6") slowly with traffic flowing and have enough space to work.
My grandpa used to do underwater welding in the navy, he said it was peaceful, but don't go up too fast or you'll get bends. And small mistakes can lead to catastrophic events.
Yeah decompression sickness. The further up you go, the longer your rests have to be. Sometimes depending on the depth of the dive, a rest can last up to 6-7 hours.
@@codykrueger796 underwater welding is very involved and because of the nature of these decompression rests, it's often a waste of time/money to have these divers come back to the surface so they have an underwater pod that supplies them with oxygen/power and also they use it to sleep inside of this pod, and yes they stay in these pods for days maybe even weeks at a time depending on the job. Much like how submarines have a crush depth (the maximum limit they can dive before they are destroyed like a tin can from the pressure) the human body has a crush depth as well. And often times when a sailor/anyone in a submarine gets shot out of the tubes in emergency situations they often have bursted eardrums and lose their hearing. Sorry a lil off topic just find it interesting to read about haha.
I think that's the issue. A "small mistake" can lead to a possibly fatal outcome. It's the environment that multiplies a mistake's outcome a hundred fold. On land a mistake can get you a second degree burn, at far depth the same mistake can lead to explosive decompression.
Hey Jesse I’m currently working as a Commercial Diver and 40% of my work goes welding/cutting underneath the surface of water. But there’s no such thing called underwater welder, that’s all media bullcrab. All Commercial Diver knows how to weld underwater. So make it short, All Commercial Divers are underwater welder. We just have a different position in the team. Like comms, Medic, NDT, Welder, Rigger etc. My current position is Medic but whenever my buddies(welder) are sick I replace his position. Order to become good underwater welder, you must be a good welder on land first. So if you’re already a top-deck welder, why don’t you try welding underwater? It’s a same concept but easier(for me it is).
@@subzero871NL I see, I met one dude claiming underwater welder and what he’s saying that he could do wet-welding(underwater) but can’t do dry welding(regular SMAW, mig, tig, flux) Well, I said shut up you p*** of s***. Order to do weld underwater, first have to be a diver and learn dry-welding in welding booth(most of the dive school have welding booth). Even I’m still practicing dry-welding. Not good in GTAW cause most of wet-welding do SMAW and use E7014 than E7018. Plus, Dry-welding needs more skills and time. Point I’m trying to make is, if person can’t do regular stick welding and can’t even run right beads(undercuts etc) can’t even enter the water.
Im more glad that Im able to weld somewhat good without turning it into a high explosion XD I have the papers that Im allowed to weld (In denmark) as I need to do it at times because I trying to be a car mechanic. And I admit to myself that my welds arent the prettiest or the best, but on the other hand I know I need alot more experiance in it. I mostly used MIG/MAG welders (Commonly known as CO2 welders in the places I had been)
I met a guy who did this job. He was deep sea welding. Claimed he made $350,000 per year, partly since no one else would do it, partly due to the danger.
I was a deep sat worker for years. The pay was incredible and you could pick and choose your work because of worker availability. Lonely, isolated work though. The key to survival was just as dependent on your topside team as it was for you. But very stressful work when you are working, and welding was a very small part of it.
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My uncle was an underwater welder for 19 years until getting married. He said it's a single man's line of work. It's long hours, lot of anxiety, and you have to weld perfectly everytime as inspectors use x-ray for inspection. But the upside is the ridiculously high money you will make. If you are dependable and good, you pretty much get whatever you want. Under a 100 per hour isn't even worth answering the phone.
There is NO hourly pay WHATSOEVER. You're full of crap or your guy is full of crap. You're hired on per/day rates. With EVERY. SINGLE. COMPANY. IN EXISTENCE. There are a few that are salaried, but they don't do underwater/hyperbaric welding only....they usually do several things, are always at the shop when not deployed, and STILL get a day rate for deployment.
I wanted to do underwater welding at one point. A buddies mom was a sat diver. She deals with massive amounts of chronic pains due to the nature of the job. Your body wasn’t made to deal with that amount of pressure change over so many times. Respect to everyone that does this job, but I wanna be able to play with my kids pain free when I have them.
How do you know what our bodies were made to deal? God? That you? She was probably out of shape for most the work. I'm a powerlifter, and climbing cell towers was shit at first.... But I still had to make the gym after every 16 hour day. Cause #beta
Balls of steel and over the top testosterone levels required to perform well in this profession. Much respect to those past and present underwater welders.
A guy who studied welding at the same schools as me just a few years earlier went on to be an underwater welder. after 2 or 3 years of working he drowned at the age of 25.
I was going to be an underwater welder,I actually got my dive licence when I was 13. The instructor almost didn't want to let me in the class until he interviewed me to see if I was capable. I actually did better than a lot of the adults! There was one problem I had with becoming an underwater welder. I can't weld! I had horrible handwriting,couldn't draw to save my life,I just didn't have a good steady hand. There is a reason why welders in general get paid a lot.
Your story is similar to mine. I was a swimming instructor in the USMC and was thinking of doing underwater welding when I got out. I took some classes on the weekends and found out its not for me, I have terrible penmanship, shaky hands, and my 5 year old draws better than me lol.
It's harder to teach a good diver how to weld than a good welder how to dive. Simple as that. Don't need to be a master diver to weld underwater. But you DO need to be a master welder to weld underwater.
That's why I started young because I knew that the open water certification wasn't going to allow me to to do that job. You need deep water,night diving,and many other certifications to be a commercial diver and that takes years. I also came from a poor family so I couldn't afford all of the courses. The only reason I was able to obtain my open water certification was because my grandma paid for it. Now I'm a poorly paid security guard. Go figure.
Ahhhh I see you haven’t met an alcoholic welder who’s hands shake like a leaf on a tree…. And yet they lay down some beautiful welds. Don’t let that discourage you from possibly pursuing a welding career. You don’t have to lay down IG Welds to get a job. Just had to pass the QC’s approval and you’re golden
Maybe some of the illiterate people in Trinidad should look at this video and stop blaming the divers. The guys were working and didn't deserve to be neglected
The best reason not to take up underwater welding was told to me by a co-worker. He was welding on a rig and looked to his right to see a big-ass barracuda right over his shoulder. Apparently, they love to watch and the one thing you never want to see over your shoulder is rows of razor sharp teeth right in your face.
@@tannerhuber3057 not a marine biologist or anything but i believe fish have quite bad eyesight and use other senses to know where theyre going and what is happening around them
My friend was an underwater welder while he was in the navy and I was in the army. He got out before me and got a job doing the same thing on the civilian side & connected me with people to get a job once I got out doing the same. I was in training when he drowned on the job. The only person pushing me to really dive into that field.
exhaustion the least of their concerns? exhaustion can lead to mistakes you can't afford... driving people too hard is a problem across all workplaces. many hands make light work, but skeleton crews are the norm so the masters can pocket the savings.
I have heard that skeleton crews lead to patient deaths in the healthcare industry also, but the profiteering masters of this world will one day spend eternity with their master in the Lake of Fire.
My trade school teacher told our class to stay away from this. “Imagine the only bright spot in pure darkness. Fish are going to watch. I had to weld for over an hour with a barracuda inches from my ear.” And also showed us stats about how deadly it can be. Basically said only do dry underwater.
I worked in the gulf of mexico for 10 years as a diver. Welding is a rarity in the gulf of mexico these days. Engineers have come up with much safer means to accomplish jobs. I also want to add that majority of these videos are of broco rod cutting (not welding) and training videos of divers welding in tanks. Probably from diving schools.
@@joshsusan7944 I got sucked in during my younger years for sure. The job sucks really bad at times but I don't regret my decade of diving. An amazing experience
@@eljanrimsa5843 Diving doesn't really have a high rate of failure. It is dangerous.......but I came out unscathed after 10 years. I think the word "failure" was the wrong word to use here
@matttaylor817 agreed. I definitely reflect on the “golden years” but do you ever think you’d do it different now? but honestly I’m sure you are the same. The money was a small part of the decision. Still played a part but the image is what got me lol. It’s just all the bad parts they don’t tell you before committing to it, but that could be said with any career path and could also be blamed on me being gullible. You ever think of where commercial diving got this reputation of retiring early? Make money during storms… a lot but not enough by any means.
I've been a welder for 40+ years. Been doing stainless tank fab stuff at the same company for the last 27 of those years, have been injured enough in that time, no need to take it any further. In the same thought, the advertisement I see all the time now "be a welder and make more $$ than a college grad". The only way you're going to make any "real" $$ welding is to live on the road and out of a motel for 9 months of the year (working 84 hour weeks), or risk your life. IE, underwater or live nuke plant stuff. Two more years and I retire. Then I'll "weld no more forever". Fuck this shit..
Partially correct. I looked into a welders union and honestly, In Massachusetts, you can make about $80/hour after a 5 year apprenticeship, before overtime. So that is $166,400 before taxes and union dues. Clearing over $100,000 per year.
@@shannonp4037 I have a buddy who's a welder, had to swerve to avoid hitting a red-light runner, insurance didn't cover, truck totaled, bought a nicer one. He lives quite comfortably, works for Komatsu
I had a family friend that was an underwater welder. He passed away from what I remember being lack of oxygen to his brain after a long day on the oil rig he was working on.
My dad was a master diver in the navy, for as long as I could remember, I never really understood what he did. This video had a better explanation of anything he's ever told me as a child. Lol. I love you dad.
We had a instructor who used to tell us a story about a underwater welder who one day came face to face with a unknown creature in the dark murky water. When he came up they said he was pale white in the face and would not go back down and quit right there on the spot. Lol
I'm just a shop production welder thinking about this is a lot and scary. I appreciate everything you do. You are the backbone to this society. Thank you
My buddy was an underwater weld inspector. He could only work I think three hourrs max a day. H ewas making 1000 per day. he did it for two years bought a nice house and a nice cabin. This was in 1988 so that would be closer to 2500 USD per day due to inflation. dude said he hated his job and his life but two years and was debt free with house and lake front cabin in Lake of the WOODS Ontario.
I used to weld for huge building rooftops and houses, and i do understand how different it would be to do the same miles below sea level. OMG!! It needs serious amount of courage to do so.. respect to all you people who have done this far below.. you are awesome!!!
My son has a school friend whose father is a deep sea welder in the North Sea. He dropped his son of at our house once and we got chatting. He described how precarious life is at that depth In the North Sea where there is zero visibility. Even floating upwards 100 feet can kill. He said, the first warning is your ears pop. A friend of his got his air supply cut and the only thing he could do was sit on top of the bit of undersea pipeline he was working on and wait to go unconscious, hoping his friends in the diving bell would come to get him. They did but 'coming to get him' involves men getting into their suits, and then walking across the sea bed dragging umbilical lines behind them and feeling for him in the dark until they found his unconscious body.
Uuugh... I ALMOST joined the Navy for this job back in 1995. Thank GOD I went with the Army instead and got trained in the Operating Room and been doing the same job in the civilian world. I'm now Making 90k a year with a GED and Army MOS training.(long story that involves Detroit public schools) It actually Worked out well for me considering things.
I had a buddy in the Army from Texas who was arrested on armed robbery charges with 5 other guys back in 1997. They were all given a choice of join the Army or Marines in a combat unit or 20 years of prison! His first 2 friends told the judge to give them prison as they wouldn't join no white man's army. When it came to his time, he said, "Your honor, i'll join the military! He just retired 2 years ago, married with 5 kids, has 2 homes paid off and has investment properties, and loves it soo much that he is in the National Guard. He told me a few years back that two of those 5 other guys died or got killed in prison and one thats still in (due to doing dumber shit in prison) that he wished he would have joined the service when he had a chance.
I did that for a few years. I used to work as a dive contractor for the cruise lines. It wasn't a huge part of the job, but occasionally we'd get to weld or cut something on the ships.
@@mad-pit3832 um....OK. commercial diver school is 5 months long. Afterwards I worked for a dive company in ft Lauderdale for 6 years. Primarily we did hull inspections and hull/propeller cleanings. We also swam the ships' annual insurance surveys. A very small part of our job was repairing cracked things underwater, or installing zinc anodes. There just isn't that much underwater welding going on anywhere in the ships husbandry field. Usually they wait for dry dock for bigger repairs. After traveling around the Caribbean for 6 years, my son asked my why I always had to leave for work.... I didn't have a good answer for him. Therefore I quit diving and became a union carpenter. Is that OK with you? I'm sure you're an expert in the field and all.
@@mad-pit3832 the company I work for has 8 commercial divers employed. None of them are “underwater welders” but all of them know how to weld, and some have done it under water. It’s just like any other operation that commercial divers do. If it’s necessary, they figure out a way to get it done.
My cousin once told me a story about a buddy of his that did underwater welding. He was working on a dam and one day he dove down only to come back up early, stripped all his gear off, and quit right there. They asked him why and he said while he was down there he saw a catfish big enough to swallow him whole. I’d quit too.
Friend of mine is an underwater welder / deep commercial diver. I think he earns around $1600USD a day but it’s a dangerous job. I think you need to be a certain type of person to do it as you work closely with, and in confinement with, people for very long periods of time.
Imagine being a sea creature smart enough to think... like a dolphin or an Octopus... seeing some strange thing decend from the sky and start creating fire... underwater...
No divers don't get their heads ripped off, life expectancy isn't cut short, you won't make $600k+, welding is a small part of what welders do, hyperbaric welding is rarely if ever done in the Gulf. I'm a 3rd generation diver and currently an instructor at the ocean Corporation
Byford dolphin diving bell accident, look that up, because in that incident, they’re heads didn’t get cut off, they’re bodies were completely ripped apart from delta p……..
Underwater welding isn't a job so dont get your hopes up its commercial diving welding is just a tiny part of it and if your wanting to go in it for the money dont bother. And 90% of the time u cant see anything anyway.
With regards to the safety and the money. I never got a premium for welding underwater, not really. I always assumed it was something, a skill set, that commercial divers need to know and are trained to do. The safety thing is another matter. I have done a lot of Hydro plant work, welding and not. You really have to make dam sure that you have everything that can kill you locked down and electrically disconnected. I know I am simplifying this a lot but you cannot get bullied into other wise by a client or supervisor. I have done my share of really stupid shit in the past. I tell new guys "dive like you are diving alone" Please dont take that to far but People get distracted topsides. See my other comments below, thanks. Best to all new guys or girls, be safe above all else, never take short cuts.
My good friend is planning to do this kind of underwater welding. He's always been a bit of a klutz but really good with his hands, always making really cool things in the metalshop. I can only pray that he stays safe and always careful when doing this work.
I trained to be a welder and had the chance to go off on the rigs for underwater but had to complete a series of diving courses. I discovered I hate swimming in the sea. I just couldn't relax and focus as my mind was stuck in what's that in the distance or what if a shark hits me. So I went to the artic instead for pipe work. And lost some toes to frost bite 😂
I always wondered how there's someone for every job, it doesn't matter how hopeless, dangerous, exhausting, disgusting and every other negative adjective the job may have, someone will be there to do it.
@@highkit I already posted here but the reason is not due to biology but more so this f*ucked up society we live in. I actually looked into this but considering you're down there with male coworkers, it's easy to brush s*xual assault under the rug. I don't care about all the other dangers and actually looked into this but r*pe isn't worth it to me. So if you wanna cry about only men doing this, then men as a whole gotta change on a societal level. Also you aren't doing it either, do you? So why gotta piggyback of other men's successes, just so you can feel great about yourself and be sexist??
3:23, This is not correct, or at least bad framing. Trimix, (helium, oxygen, and nitrogen) is used, because at depth, every breath of air contains more oxygen or nitrogen molecules than that same breath would at sea level. Oxygen becomes toxic to humans at too high a partial pressure, the common wisdom in the diving world is that this occurs around 180-220 feet. But you can't just breath a lower oxygen mix, because nitrogen has a psychoactive effect at high partial pressures, this occurs around 90-120 feet and below (depending on the diver, I've always called it "getting narked"). So the solution is to replace the extra oxygen and nitrogen with an inert gas (helium) that does not damage tissue or cause psychoactive side effects. There is an issue with this though, and that is that helium tends to be a little more "volatile" when decompressing, so extra care needs to be taken when decompressing from a Trimix Dive.
Close. They haven't used trimix in like 20 years. They use heliox, helium and Oxygen. They use helium because it's an inert gas. You breath in helium. And out helium. The air you breath out has co2 and is scrubbed out using co2 scrubbers with sodasorb.
Worked offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for Cal-Dive International out of Morgan City Louisiana for 5 yrs. Everyday is dangerous whether you're in the water or on deck as a Tender. Took a CNS hit with Arterial embolism in 1990 that left me with serious residual damage. It ended my career. Last year offshore I was on boat for 263 days. Money was great but my wife and kids had no real husband or father. Getting bent may have saved my marriage. Even with that as a comfort I still miss it very much and remember it often. Best of luck to any man or woman that cares to challenge themselves and enter this career field. It will absorb you and you'll love it enough to let it.
I used to weld and seriously considered doing under water welding. The money was top notch but at the end of the day i decided my health and safety was more important. No point making a lot of money if you die early or have health issues for the rest of your life. Over time your bones go brittle like mr glass.
Another risk. My friend and rugby teammate here in New Zealand, headed off to saudi to work on a oil rig, welding. He then went on to do insurance work for sunken ships. After a days diving him and his buddy were on a ship heading home, and my friend was murdered as someone did not want a certain ship to be investigated. My friends dad, an ex cop, went over their and basically pegged the guilty parties. His work was ignored and my friend never had justice. Nor his dear family. Risk aye.
My buddy did this in the armed forces. He had some liver enzyme issue or something that was exasperated by the diving. Poor guy had to go out on medical discharge
As a welder, I have considered the possibility of entering the underwater realm. But my conclusion is that even if the pay and benefits are extremely promising, the risk is not.
My uncle welds underwater and he got stuck in a pitch black pipe on top a cart. He was pinned against the roof and when the boss heard him laugh over the radio, the boss fainted. Luckily he made it out fine as his partner returned. Scary stuff
Good video. Some of those guys live up to weeks at a time at 1000 ft + and have to spend days coming up to the surface to prevent decompression sickness
Most of the time they are brought aboard the ship while still under pressure and depressurize while on board. It's a lot safer but still has it's risks
It’s said that underwater welders have a 1 in 3 chance of dying on the job, and as a result, if you survive, they actually retire at the age of 40. And before you ask: I know from a close friend, who is a metal fabricator in trade.
Yeah nah not even close. Back in the pioneering days it was 10%. Under water welding isn’t even a job title. The work done underwater is by commercial divers who can weld. We also do a lot of marine construction, salvage, pipeline fitting and repair for offshore, hazmat in nuclear and human waste facilities, etc. Safety has come a long way in diving and very few jobs actually involve welding. More common is burning and that’s more dangerous because of the release of hydrogen gas and the sparks from the broco rod.
Eh you're more or less right, off-shore underwater welders can only do the job 5-10 years. I retired from the job after the full 10, it takes a toll on the body, but it's damn good money I tell ya. I just used my earnings to buy apartments and real estate so I don't have to lift a finger for the rest of my life. To anyone else who reads this comment; if you want to live a long life, don't do this job. If you're like me; have minimal regard for your personal safety, and you're open to being friends with a shark or two, and you like welding then by all means give er, but the responsibility is what some compare to military-like.
Wait wait let me clear out this myth. I quit my last job(forklift driver) and become a diver in age of 37 and now I’m 50 and still working good as a diver, plz don’t believe that bullcrab myrh. It isn’t that much dangerous how you guys think. I do underwater weld underwater the Nuclear Power Plants. There’s some radiation you gotta watch out but we are wearing one of the best gear on the world(better than SEAL) so don’t have to worry about that.
I was an inland commercial diver from 1992 - 2004. Most of the U/W welding these days is done in a dry environment. As some one mentioned that most of what is shown in this video is U/w burning with a Broco Rod. U/W burning was fun. If your good at it a diver should be able to burn an 18" cut. the rods are 18". It was hazardous but not dangerous. There are more dangerous jobs then commercial diving/U/W welding . I mainly did power plant maintenance, Water plant maintenance, laid pipelines, and worked on the locks on the Ohio River and i worked on a lot of dams around the USA. Did some salvage jobs. Did some underwater demolition which was a fun time too. The nitrogen buildup doing shallow dives can be an issue when you get older as i"m finding out now.
“Precision” is not the problem with hypothetical robot underwater welders. Problem solving and adaptability is. Robots today have levels of precision surpassing humans past several orders of magnitude.
I watched on local TV the story of underwater welder here in Indonesia He said it doesnt really that dangerous if you follow the protocol and most importanly you should have many possible information about the environment of your working spot Chance of fatal accident is small if you do everything correctly, but if that happen there's no way to survive. So everytime he called for the job, he do small party with his family, tell them some messege and even saying good bye He made about $13,600 for 2-3 times dive, 2 hours work per dive. I thought that number was just kidding, but after googling for a while holy smokes that sh*t is real. But you need years and years of study, alot of certificate, and also years of experience to become one of them and called on big company. The most facinating thing he said was even tho the money was big it will never enough to cover his and his family's mental damage every time he goes to work. He retired at 42 after 13 years in the job
mississippi river barge divers are hands down the best guys to work with. I had some great jobs in LA running pipe and installing smart flanges with those guys, great memories.
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My wife has a family friend who is like a father to her and from what I hear from him he could have retired decades ago but he loves to continue working
I do Underwater Wielding, not that dangerous TBH, kind of relaxing. It’s different if you do it in a rubber drysuit than a wetsuit. This job pays differently in different countries and it depends on the company and what the company works with, example: docks, north sea, oil industry etc etc
I find it really hard to get good penetration and nice beeds above water. This is like the ultimate welding job. Much respect to all people who are doing this
I have been an aluminum welder inland for 10yrs. I will keep my 47k a year. I feel like alot less dangers. Something about electricity and water doesn't sit with me
Had a buddy that did this job,he passed away in Florida from a drug overdose.. He like drugz in his free time,and he liked to push the limit. 🙏but he was a awesome friend..blessings to him,i seen this video and thought of him..
This is truly a dangerous job. I pray for all those who do this for a living. I just had a close friend die at Pearl Harbor recently doing this job Rest in love Kealii Boy❤️🙏
For nearly 20 years this job has taken me all over the world. Now I'm done. Time to see my kids grow up. Thankful for all the expwriences and great people I meet from all over the world. Been to the most exotic places, been to the biggest shitholes. Bye bye commercial diving and ROV piloting.
@@MasParaQue Its great and its replacing the need for divers more and more. Divers will always be needed but the demand for ROV's will increase unlike Diving. Its a unique one of a kind job. Also ROV's are doing an increasing amount of inshore jobs for those who do not want to work offshore.
@@user-qy8tu2bk9m There are not many Commercial Divers that are only underwater welders. It is a part of the job. I have been to many exotic places as that is where the cruise ships often go. These need underwater maintenance and repairs too and sometimes even need to be salvaged. Costa concordia for example. Furthermore there are oilrigs, pipelines, ships and so on all over the world.Some in shitty places and some in holiday destinations.
The most dangerous job in the world is a census worker in the Appalachian mountains. Every house greets you with a shotgun and a friendly "go back where you came from."
Ah man I forgot about those people… one of the years the census people were going my town, one of them got drug inside a house by a kid who has Autism… he beat the hell out of the census worker thinking she was trying to kidnap him… I felt bad for both sides lmao… I’d really hate to be a census worker… I’d rather be a repo man or mail man before ever being a census worker lmao
99% of the people who find out I'm a welder hit me with the question right after.... "Have you heard of underwater weld..." YES I HAVE STFU lmao holy sheet
You have to be wiling to go where the jobs are. In todays world welding is about 10% of what you will be doing underwater. Yes, when you do actually weld its important so be prepared to test weekly or daily sometimes. Diving is broken in to 2 main areas. Inland (working on water plants, nuclear facilities, bridges, paper mills and so on) and offshore (oil rigs, boat salvage, pipelines, offshore windfarms) they both carry their own lifestyle. Offshore youre living on a boat for 40-60 days at a time. Inland you work mostly mon-fri but stay in a hotel and travel quite often. November to beginning of Feb is the slow season. Alot of work in the Gulf stops around than because of the weather.
My uncle told me a story about his friend who was an underwater welder He said his friend felt something that he was constantly being watched underwater whenever when he was at work, sent a cold shiver down my spine, can't blame him, being underwater for a very long time makes you feel anxious not knowing what's in the water with you
It's also VERY well paid. In trade school we were told about jobs where you effectively work 6 months of the year and earn 500K obviously not all pay that well but considering regular welders here earn at a minimum 30 an hour and most get more like $45 an hour you'd expect dive welders to be paid even more.
I’m currently in the process trying to become an underwater welder …..I know it might take a while before I get there ….. I know it it’s dangerous and didn’t want to look up how dangerous it was but here I am …..
Had a friend wanting to go into this field. He instantly did a u turn after learning more about it. He said he’ll just stick to above water welding. Lol
Pay in underwater welding and commercial diving kind of stagnated in the 2000s through 2010s, it is starting to catch back up though. It hovered around $25 an hour, which was bank in the 80s and 90s but it’s unacceptable today. Don’t be discouraged though, rates are rising slowly but surely. When you’re starting out as a tender obviously expect less and to have to cut your teeth a bit but also don’t let them try and pay you less than $18-20 an hour, because rising tender rates helps push up experienced rates. If you want to make good money and be at sea but don’t want to work underwater look at rope access courses. Those are the guys that dangle off the sides of ships and oil rigs welding. They make pretty good money as well.
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I was seriously looking at doing this when i was 18(1979).
The school gave me the numbers of a few retired underwaterwelders to talk to before signing up.
They talked me out of the idea.
Hi, my name is Hampus and I'm currently going a education to become a commercial diver, today monday I started my underwater welding training.
And I just have to say that I love it. I wish you all the best James!
@@hampuslarsson9135 wishing you the best man fr
We could all die on our way to work regardless where we work so might as well do something you love or enjoy
@@hampuslarsson9135 stay calm, be smart and know when to say no :) you’ll be golden, I’m not a welder nor a diver though xD.
What they say?
I had a friend who was an underwater welder. He told me a story of welding a pipeline and feeling like something was watching him. When he looked he saw a massive squid about 8 feet away from him.
The squid just wanted to help or say he missed something :P
Soon the squids will take over, now that hey learned how to weld.
DIDNT ASK
@@mamutsamui5132 awesome and epic reply
@@mamutsamui5132 Didn't ask you to reply either but here you are
One of my instructors in welding school did underwater stuff for a while. I asked him how scary it was and he said "When it's completely dark and something alive brushes against your leg, real freaking scary."
Yeahhh I’m out 🤣
… 🫣
He would never say no. Because of the implication
Just blind it with the arc
HELLL NAHHH 🤣
I have been an underwater welder for greater than 38 years. I have welded on bridges, pipelines, seawalls, ships, you name it. I dont understand why they sensationalize underwater welding and say its so dangerous. If you follow the rules and use good equipment and good co-workers, you dont even know you have a live stinger in your hand. Its takes a LOT of practice and a lot of years to get good at it, if I dont weld for a while (months) I need to practice on some test plates to get my "feel" for it back, most of the time its in limited visibility water and you can't see. I use special rods, kinda like a plastic covered 7018. If you break off from the weld puddle with them they sparkle, no crap. They are also around 3-5 bucks each so I dont use them to tie things together or throw at fish, LOL. JUST FOLLOW THE RULES, DONT TAKE SHORT CUTS, HAVE GOOD PEOPLE TOPSIDES WHO STAY ALERT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HEAVY CONSTRUCTION OR MARINE JOB
Imma first year welding apprentice and this has convinced me to move towards underwater welding!!!
Hey man can i ask how much can be earned in this job? In this moment i am In a training to become a naval welder, and i am looking underwater welding as a very good posibility in the future, but i want to know if this work is really well rewarded
The "throw at fish" really got me 😂😂😂😂😂
What can you say about the 4 divers in Trinidad and Tobago that were left to die in a pipe line that sucked them in their company allowed these men to die. This happened at the beginning of March 2022 or so. Allowed them to die. It is a dangerous job.
@@staellie7089 He is going to say "HAVE GOOD PEOPLE TOPSIDES WHO STAY ALERT" because that's what he said twice.
I met an underwater welder early 2000s - he worked on Golden Gate Bridge. He said he worked 3 months per year and made $90K in that time - he could work more if he wanted to but didn't want to. He took the rest of the year off and traveled. It was fascinating - they'd raise deck of bridge (4-6") slowly with traffic flowing and have enough space to work.
That’s awesome
@@silvaskiproductions3937 at a higher risk
MAJOR BUCKS
@@silvaskiproductions3937 That kind of thing you gotta have your focus and fitness top notch. One slip up no no can do.
@@silvaskiproductions3937 SAME... but my health issues are me just being stupid.
My grandpa used to do underwater welding in the navy, he said it was peaceful, but don't go up too fast or you'll get bends. And small mistakes can lead to catastrophic events.
Yeah decompression sickness. The further up you go, the longer your rests have to be. Sometimes depending on the depth of the dive, a rest can last up to 6-7 hours.
@@shyryTsr2k like a rest at a certain depth? Like you might not be able to come up to the surface for days?
@@codykrueger796 underwater welding is very involved and because of the nature of these decompression rests, it's often a waste of time/money to have these divers come back to the surface so they have an underwater pod that supplies them with oxygen/power and also they use it to sleep inside of this pod, and yes they stay in these pods for days maybe even weeks at a time depending on the job. Much like how submarines have a crush depth (the maximum limit they can dive before they are destroyed like a tin can from the pressure) the human body has a crush depth as well. And often times when a sailor/anyone in a submarine gets shot out of the tubes in emergency situations they often have bursted eardrums and lose their hearing. Sorry a lil off topic just find it interesting to read about haha.
@@shyryTsr2k woah, so they live there for days? Did they find that this affected people in any strange ways? Just curious also lol
I think that's the issue. A "small mistake" can lead to a possibly fatal outcome. It's the environment that multiplies a mistake's outcome a hundred fold.
On land a mistake can get you a second degree burn, at far depth the same mistake can lead to explosive decompression.
im glad im a welder on land.....i hate being under water.....much respect to the people that do welding underwater
No doubt brother they got mine
Hey Jesse I’m currently working as a Commercial Diver and 40% of my work goes welding/cutting underneath the surface of water. But there’s no such thing called underwater welder, that’s all media bullcrab. All Commercial Diver knows how to weld underwater. So make it short, All Commercial Divers are underwater welder. We just have a different position in the team. Like comms, Medic, NDT, Welder, Rigger etc. My current position is Medic but whenever my buddies(welder) are sick I replace his position. Order to become good underwater welder, you must be a good welder on land first. So if you’re already a top-deck welder, why don’t you try welding underwater? It’s a same concept but easier(for me it is).
@@panicream6860 i dont like being underwater hshaha
@@subzero871NL I see, I met one dude claiming underwater welder and what he’s saying that he could do wet-welding(underwater) but can’t do dry welding(regular SMAW, mig, tig, flux) Well, I said shut up you p*** of s***. Order to do weld underwater, first have to be a diver and learn dry-welding in welding booth(most of the dive school have welding booth). Even I’m still practicing dry-welding. Not good in GTAW cause most of wet-welding do SMAW and use E7014 than E7018.
Plus, Dry-welding needs more skills and time. Point I’m trying to make is, if person can’t do regular stick welding and can’t even run right beads(undercuts etc) can’t even enter the water.
Im more glad that Im able to weld somewhat good without turning it into a high explosion XD I have the papers that Im allowed to weld (In denmark) as I need to do it at times because I trying to be a car mechanic. And I admit to myself that my welds arent the prettiest or the best, but on the other hand I know I need alot more experiance in it. I mostly used MIG/MAG welders (Commonly known as CO2 welders in the places I had been)
I met a guy who did this job. He was deep sea welding. Claimed he made $350,000 per year, partly since no one else would do it, partly due to the danger.
I was a deep sat worker for years. The pay was incredible and you could pick and choose your work because of worker availability. Lonely, isolated work though. The key to survival was just as dependent on your topside team as it was for you. But very stressful work when you are working, and welding was a very small part of it.
Jesus Christ Loves you all so much That HE died and suffered for you all, to save you From eternal Death, turn to HIM fully and Believe in HIM and you will be saved❤💯
@@JisK7 amen
I believe it because i know some one who did the job like this he said the rates per hours is $400 with full insurance back up.
My uncle was an underwater welder for 19 years until getting married. He said it's a single man's line of work. It's long hours, lot of anxiety, and you have to weld perfectly everytime as inspectors use x-ray for inspection. But the upside is the ridiculously high money you will make. If you are dependable and good, you pretty much get whatever you want. Under a 100 per hour isn't even worth answering the phone.
I heard the same thing.
Sounds like plumbers around here lol no joke
There is NO hourly pay WHATSOEVER. You're full of crap or your guy is full of crap. You're hired on per/day rates. With EVERY. SINGLE. COMPANY. IN EXISTENCE. There are a few that are salaried, but they don't do underwater/hyperbaric welding only....they usually do several things, are always at the shop when not deployed, and STILL get a day rate for deployment.
@@BigDaddy-yp4mi you must be the only person ever who doesn’t break down their pay and work out how much they make per hour then
@@BigDaddy-yp4mi if I charge $100 for a job that takes me 2 hours then I've just made $50 an hour, haven't I?
I wanted to do underwater welding at one point. A buddies mom was a sat diver. She deals with massive amounts of chronic pains due to the nature of the job. Your body wasn’t made to deal with that amount of pressure change over so many times. Respect to everyone that does this job, but I wanna be able to play with my kids pain free when I have them.
To be fair having a desk job can also easlily lead to chronic pain if you don't excercise.
please tell more, can she prdict rain? more pain with dry?? or rainy weather??
Wow! She did the 2 toughest and most dangerous jobs! Also was a full time mom. Ahaha
How do you know what our bodies were made to deal? God? That you? She was probably out of shape for most the work. I'm a powerlifter, and climbing cell towers was shit at first.... But I still had to make the gym after every 16 hour day. Cause #beta
Women* aren't.
Balls of steel and over the top testosterone levels required to perform well in this profession. Much respect to those past and present underwater welders.
What does testosterone has to do with anything ?
@@Lrripper shut up
I'm a woman and did it for a while though it's a rare thing in that line of work
A guy who studied welding at the same schools as me just a few years earlier went on to be an underwater welder. after 2 or 3 years of working he drowned at the age of 25.
At least he made good money.
@@amateruss hahahahahaha
@@cheborneck4828 yeah probably hahahah
That is very sad 😥. Btw what caused drowning?
@@xportal9169 water
I was going to be an underwater welder,I actually got my dive licence when I was 13. The instructor almost didn't want to let me in the class until he interviewed me to see if I was capable. I actually did better than a lot of the adults! There was one problem I had with becoming an underwater welder. I can't weld! I had horrible handwriting,couldn't draw to save my life,I just didn't have a good steady hand. There is a reason why welders in general get paid a lot.
Your story is similar to mine. I was a swimming instructor in the USMC and was thinking of doing underwater welding when I got out. I took some classes on the weekends and found out its not for me, I have terrible penmanship, shaky hands, and my 5 year old draws better than me lol.
It's harder to teach a good diver how to weld than a good welder how to dive. Simple as that. Don't need to be a master diver to weld underwater. But you DO need to be a master welder to weld underwater.
That's why I started young because I knew that the open water certification wasn't going to allow me to to do that job. You need deep water,night diving,and many other certifications to be a commercial diver and that takes years. I also came from a poor family so I couldn't afford all of the courses. The only reason I was able to obtain my open water certification was because my grandma paid for it. Now I'm a poorly paid security guard. Go figure.
Ahhhh I see you haven’t met an alcoholic welder who’s hands shake like a leaf on a tree…. And yet they lay down some beautiful welds. Don’t let that discourage you from possibly pursuing a welding career. You don’t have to lay down IG Welds to get a job. Just had to pass the QC’s approval and you’re golden
@Stevie Sells what kind of welding are you doing?
5 divers were sucked into a 36 " pipeline underwater last Friday here in Trinidad while doing repairs. 4 died, 1 was rescued. 😔
🇹🇹😓🙏🏼
Maybe some of the illiterate people in Trinidad should look at this video and stop blaming the divers. The guys were working and didn't deserve to be neglected
@@nicole4eva111 do you know who Trevor McDonald is?
Imagine that feeling
@@rahjah6958 yeah and it’s irrelevant
The best reason not to take up underwater welding was told to me by a co-worker. He was welding on a rig and looked to his right to see a big-ass barracuda right over his shoulder. Apparently, they love to watch and the one thing you never want to see over your shoulder is rows of razor sharp teeth right in your face.
Wouldn’t the barracuda go blind? 😂
@@tannerhuber3057 I would think, but I'm not a biologist.
Just a lil A tap with a live stinger and he won't stick around
@@tannerhuber3057 not a marine biologist or anything but i believe fish have quite bad eyesight and use other senses to know where theyre going and what is happening around them
@@dinoaurus1 From my experience of fishing I think fish have the sharp eyesight of an eagle .
2:46 - would ya look at that, that’s me
Cool man
hell yeah
Respect
Sick
cool, i have a question how much does the company pay you?
My friend was an underwater welder while he was in the navy and I was in the army. He got out before me and got a job doing the same thing on the civilian side & connected me with people to get a job once I got out doing the same. I was in training when he drowned on the job. The only person pushing me to really dive into that field.
I'm so sorry for your loss, that's awful and it must be very difficult to deal with.
Sorry for Your loss
exhaustion the least of their concerns? exhaustion can lead to mistakes you can't afford... driving people too hard is a problem across all workplaces. many hands make light work, but skeleton crews are the norm so the masters can pocket the savings.
Yeah I scoffed at this comment too. Exhaustion and fatigue are the biggest killers in workplace
I have heard that skeleton crews lead to patient deaths in the healthcare industry also, but the profiteering masters of this world will one day spend eternity with their master in the Lake of Fire.
My trade school teacher told our class to stay away from this. “Imagine the only bright spot in pure darkness. Fish are going to watch. I had to weld for over an hour with a barracuda inches from my ear.” And also showed us stats about how deadly it can be. Basically said only do dry underwater.
I worked in the gulf of mexico for 10 years as a diver. Welding is a rarity in the gulf of mexico these days. Engineers have come up with much safer means to accomplish jobs. I also want to add that majority of these videos are of broco rod cutting (not welding) and training videos of divers welding in tanks. Probably from diving schools.
That makes sense. A job with such a high risk of failure should really be the last resort in emergencies or very special circumstances.
I hate these videos. Trapping future divers lol
@@joshsusan7944 I got sucked in during my younger years for sure. The job sucks really bad at times but I don't regret my decade of diving. An amazing experience
@@eljanrimsa5843 Diving doesn't really have a high rate of failure. It is dangerous.......but I came out unscathed after 10 years. I think the word "failure" was the wrong word to use here
@matttaylor817 agreed. I definitely reflect on the “golden years” but do you ever think you’d do it different now? but honestly I’m sure you are the same. The money was a small part of the decision. Still played a part but the image is what got me lol. It’s just all the bad parts they don’t tell you before committing to it, but that could be said with any career path and could also be blamed on me being gullible. You ever think of where commercial diving got this reputation of retiring early? Make money during storms… a lot but not enough by any means.
I've been a welder for 40+ years. Been doing stainless tank fab stuff at the same company for the last 27 of those years, have been injured enough in that time, no need to take it any further.
In the same thought, the advertisement I see all the time now "be a welder and make more $$ than a college grad". The only way you're going to make any "real" $$ welding is to live on the road and out of a motel for 9 months of the year (working 84 hour weeks), or risk your life. IE, underwater or live nuke plant stuff.
Two more years and I retire. Then I'll "weld no more forever". Fuck this shit..
Partially correct. I looked into a welders union and honestly, In Massachusetts, you can make about $80/hour after a 5 year apprenticeship, before overtime. So that is $166,400 before taxes and union dues. Clearing over $100,000 per year.
@@shannonp4037 I have a buddy who's a welder, had to swerve to avoid hitting a red-light runner, insurance didn't cover, truck totaled, bought a nicer one. He lives quite comfortably, works for Komatsu
@@shannonp4037 hey, I just started in the carpenters union out of Boston not too long ago.
You're right, the pay is right around there.
Not true
underwater sounds dangerous but live nuke plant stuff sounds fun
Mad respect for anyone doing this job. It has to be unimaginably hard job.
I had a family friend that was an underwater welder. He passed away from what I remember being lack of oxygen to his brain after a long day on the oil rig he was working on.
My dad was a master diver in the navy, for as long as I could remember, I never really understood what he did. This video had a better explanation of anything he's ever told me as a child. Lol. I love you dad.
Love you too son
U to
oh that diver course is no joke if i recall its hard if not harder that special forces training stuff
We had a instructor who used to tell us a story about a underwater welder who one day came face to face with a unknown creature in the dark murky water. When he came up they said he was pale white in the face and would not go back down and quit right there on the spot. Lol
I'm just a shop production welder thinking about this is a lot and scary. I appreciate everything you do. You are the backbone to this society. Thank you
My buddy was an underwater weld inspector. He could only work I think three hourrs max a day. H ewas making 1000 per day. he did it for two years bought a nice house and a nice cabin. This was in 1988 so that would be closer to 2500 USD per day due to inflation. dude said he hated his job and his life but two years and was debt free with house and lake front cabin in Lake of the WOODS Ontario.
Respect
Lie
@@joshsusan7944 how so
I used to weld for huge building rooftops and houses, and i do understand how different it would be to do the same miles below sea level. OMG!! It needs serious amount of courage to do so.. respect to all you people who have done this far below.. you are awesome!!!
My son has a school friend whose father is a deep sea welder in the North Sea. He dropped his son of at our house once and we got chatting. He described how precarious life is at that depth In the North Sea where there is zero visibility. Even floating upwards 100 feet can kill. He said, the first warning is your ears pop. A friend of his got his air supply cut and the only thing he could do was sit on top of the bit of undersea pipeline he was working on and wait to go unconscious, hoping his friends in the diving bell would come to get him. They did but 'coming to get him' involves men getting into their suits, and then walking across the sea bed dragging umbilical lines behind them and feeling for him in the dark until they found his unconscious body.
That was a documentary called last breath and a real thing that happened, commercial divers know very well about that incident
If the pressure difference is enough, a diver can be sucked into a very small opening. It would be a bad way to go- much worse than drowning.
Usually stuff like that happen in such short amount of time that you don't have enough time to even realise what's happening
like the Byford Dolphin decompression accident
@@agentcarbunkle exactly what I was thinking
Uuugh...
I ALMOST joined the Navy for this job back in 1995. Thank GOD I went with the Army instead and got trained in the Operating Room and been doing the same job in the civilian world. I'm now Making 90k a year with a GED and Army MOS training.(long story that involves Detroit public schools)
It actually Worked out well for me considering things.
What do you do in the op room?
I had a buddy in the Army from Texas who was arrested on armed robbery charges with 5 other guys back in 1997. They were all given a choice of join the Army or Marines in a combat unit or 20 years of prison! His first 2 friends told the judge to give them prison as they wouldn't join no white man's army. When it came to his time, he said, "Your honor, i'll join the military! He just retired 2 years ago, married with 5 kids, has 2 homes paid off and has investment properties, and loves it soo much that he is in the National Guard. He told me a few years back that two of those 5 other guys died or got killed in prison and one thats still in (due to doing dumber shit in prison) that he wished he would have joined the service when he had a chance.
I did that for a few years. I used to work as a dive contractor for the cruise lines. It wasn't a huge part of the job, but occasionally we'd get to weld or cut something on the ships.
Thats like saying i was a heart surgery specialist or a solicitor for a few years. Its not the kind of thing you just pick up and put down part time.
@@mad-pit3832 um....OK. commercial diver school is 5 months long. Afterwards I worked for a dive company in ft Lauderdale for 6 years. Primarily we did hull inspections and hull/propeller cleanings. We also swam the ships' annual insurance surveys. A very small part of our job was repairing cracked things underwater, or installing zinc anodes. There just isn't that much underwater welding going on anywhere in the ships husbandry field. Usually they wait for dry dock for bigger repairs.
After traveling around the Caribbean for 6 years, my son asked my why I always had to leave for work.... I didn't have a good answer for him. Therefore I quit diving and became a union carpenter. Is that OK with you? I'm sure you're an expert in the field and all.
@@mad-pit3832 the company I work for has 8 commercial divers employed. None of them are “underwater welders” but all of them know how to weld, and some have done it under water. It’s just like any other operation that commercial divers do. If it’s necessary, they figure out a way to get it done.
@@Brian-bq2yb people think that stick welding is rocket surgery or something.
@@jasonarcher7268 exactly! It’s just one more skill to keep in your toolbox
Employers be like:
Lucrative Career Opportunity
Underwater Welder - $15 an hour
My cousin once told me a story about a buddy of his that did underwater welding. He was working on a dam and one day he dove down only to come back up early, stripped all his gear off, and quit right there. They asked him why and he said while he was down there he saw a catfish big enough to swallow him whole. I’d quit too.
"Damn"?
@@ethericboy I just saw this lmao I guess I swear too much
Happen to catch what dam he was working on?
@@deltadog8249 Wolf Creek Dam if I’m remembering right
Friend of mine is an underwater welder / deep commercial diver. I think he earns around $1600USD a day but it’s a dangerous job. I think you need to be a certain type of person to do it as you work closely with, and in confinement with, people for very long periods of time.
Imagine being a sea creature smart enough to think... like a dolphin or an Octopus... seeing some strange thing decend from the sky and start creating fire... underwater...
Octopus with arc eye
No divers don't get their heads ripped off, life expectancy isn't cut short, you won't make $600k+, welding is a small part of what welders do, hyperbaric welding is rarely if ever done in the Gulf. I'm a 3rd generation diver and currently an instructor at the ocean Corporation
Dolphin delta P....divers don't very often get their heads ripped off, but when they do it's from head to toe.
These guys remind me of big daddies from Bioshock
Out of intetest, what do these guys get paid annually?
So how could I get into a program like this is the ?
Byford dolphin diving bell accident, look that up, because in that incident, they’re heads didn’t get cut off, they’re bodies were completely ripped apart from delta p……..
Underwater welding isn't a job so dont get your hopes up its commercial diving welding is just a tiny part of it and if your wanting to go in it for the money dont bother. And 90% of the time u cant see anything anyway.
With regards to the safety and the money. I never got a premium for welding underwater, not really. I always assumed it was something, a skill set, that commercial divers need to know and are trained to do. The safety thing is another matter. I have done a lot of Hydro plant work, welding and not. You really have to make dam sure that you have everything that can kill you locked down and electrically disconnected. I know I am simplifying this a lot but you cannot get bullied into other wise by a client or supervisor. I have done my share of really stupid shit in the past. I tell new guys "dive like you are diving alone" Please dont take that to far but People get distracted topsides. See my other comments below, thanks. Best to all new guys or girls, be safe above all else, never take short cuts.
My good friend is planning to do this kind of underwater welding.
He's always been a bit of a klutz but really good with his hands, always making really cool things in the metalshop.
I can only pray that he stays safe and always careful when doing this work.
A klutz definitely shouldn't do this line of work
I’m a klutz and an underwater welder what’s up
@@mrt2683 ^
Tell him not to if he’s a good friend
@@joshsusan7944 "if he's a good friend" lol youre finny
I trained to be a welder and had the chance to go off on the rigs for underwater but had to complete a series of diving courses. I discovered I hate swimming in the sea. I just couldn't relax and focus as my mind was stuck in what's that in the distance or what if a shark hits me. So I went to the artic instead for pipe work. And lost some toes to frost bite 😂
I always wondered how there's someone for every job, it doesn't matter how hopeless, dangerous, exhausting, disgusting and every other negative adjective the job may have, someone will be there to do it.
Someone's gotta do it.
I do
bro they make like 200k a year 💀
*M E N*
@@highkit I already posted here but the reason is not due to biology but more so this f*ucked up society we live in. I actually looked into this but considering you're down there with male coworkers, it's easy to brush s*xual assault under the rug. I don't care about all the other dangers and actually looked into this but r*pe isn't worth it to me. So if you wanna cry about only men doing this, then men as a whole gotta change on a societal level.
Also you aren't doing it either, do you? So why gotta piggyback of other men's successes, just so you can feel great about yourself and be sexist??
Aside from the dangers mentioned in this video, I would also be terrified of being so deep underwater and encountering god knows what down there.
38 years of heavy maintenance welding is nothing compared to this type of welding. The pay is fabulous!
The risks are also fabulous. So the pay is just fair.
Fabulous, huh?
Lol.
3:23, This is not correct, or at least bad framing. Trimix, (helium, oxygen, and nitrogen) is used, because at depth, every breath of air contains more oxygen or nitrogen molecules than that same breath would at sea level. Oxygen becomes toxic to humans at too high a partial pressure, the common wisdom in the diving world is that this occurs around 180-220 feet. But you can't just breath a lower oxygen mix, because nitrogen has a psychoactive effect at high partial pressures, this occurs around 90-120 feet and below (depending on the diver, I've always called it "getting narked"). So the solution is to replace the extra oxygen and nitrogen with an inert gas (helium) that does not damage tissue or cause psychoactive side effects. There is an issue with this though, and that is that helium tends to be a little more "volatile" when decompressing, so extra care needs to be taken when decompressing from a Trimix Dive.
Close. They haven't used trimix in like 20 years. They use heliox, helium and Oxygen. They use helium because it's an inert gas. You breath in helium. And out helium. The air you breath out has co2 and is scrubbed out using co2 scrubbers with sodasorb.
when all the kids wanted to be firemen ..........I wanted to be a underwater WELDER
Fuck yeah, let them be. I become lol
Hell yeah brother!
Worked offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for Cal-Dive International out of Morgan City Louisiana for 5 yrs. Everyday is dangerous whether you're in the water or on deck as a Tender. Took a CNS hit with Arterial embolism in 1990 that left me with serious residual damage. It ended my career. Last year offshore I was on boat for 263 days. Money was great but my wife and kids had no real husband or father. Getting bent may have saved my marriage. Even with that as a comfort I still miss it very much and remember it often. Best of luck to any man or woman that cares to challenge themselves and enter this career field. It will absorb you and you'll love it enough to let it.
I used to weld and seriously considered doing under water welding. The money was top notch but at the end of the day i decided my health and safety was more important. No point making a lot of money if you die early or have health issues for the rest of your life. Over time your bones go brittle like mr glass.
I’d be a whole wreck if my boyfriend/husband was an underwater welder!! Wondering is he’s not going to come home one day! Bless you guys!!🙏🏽
Imagine waking up to go to work. And not being sure if you'll make it back at the end of the day.
That can happen in any trade anywhere stupid comment
@@barryburton7755 some are more risky than others, with more obvious risk. Your comment is stupid.
@@Joshuagilchrist55 in what way divvy
I usually have that thought watching people drive
@L Turner you smell bad
Much respect to all of the under water welders every where around the world 🌎 and thank you to all of you brave people for all that you do❤️
Men.
Still sounds like a cool job to do. Much respect to all the underwater welders who are in this line of work.
Another risk. My friend and rugby teammate here in New Zealand, headed off to saudi to work on a oil rig, welding. He then went on to do insurance work for sunken ships. After a days diving him and his buddy were on a ship heading home, and my friend was murdered as someone did not want a certain ship to be investigated. My friends dad, an ex cop, went over their and basically pegged the guilty parties. His work was ignored and my friend never had justice. Nor his dear family. Risk aye.
Was his buddy he was returning with also murdered? What ship, investigated for what? So many questions
If this was true it'd be turned into a Hollywood movie, since it's not I'm saying you're full of BS
@@TheRealCartman1 what? Is every drama turned into a movie? Come out from your mom's basement and see the real world.
@@TheRealCartman1 lmao do you think holywood portrays all of the stories?
My buddy did this in the armed forces. He had some liver enzyme issue or something that was exasperated by the diving. Poor guy had to go out on medical discharge
As a welder, I have considered the possibility of entering the underwater realm.
But my conclusion is that even if the pay and benefits are extremely promising, the risk is not.
Benifits? It’s 1099 usually bruh
It’s not cool like they make it seem.
My uncle welds underwater and he got stuck in a pitch black pipe on top a cart. He was pinned against the roof and when the boss heard him laugh over the radio, the boss fainted. Luckily he made it out fine as his partner returned. Scary stuff
Good video. Some of those guys live up to weeks at a time at 1000 ft + and have to spend days coming up to the surface to prevent decompression sickness
Most of the time they are brought aboard the ship while still under pressure and depressurize while on board. It's a lot safer but still has it's risks
It’s said that underwater welders have a 1 in 3 chance of dying on the job, and as a result, if you survive, they actually retire at the age of 40. And before you ask: I know from a close friend, who is a metal fabricator in trade.
I believe it, even without some one telling me lol
Yeah nah not even close. Back in the pioneering days it was 10%. Under water welding isn’t even a job title. The work done underwater is by commercial divers who can weld. We also do a lot of marine construction, salvage, pipeline fitting and repair for offshore, hazmat in nuclear and human waste facilities, etc. Safety has come a long way in diving and very few jobs actually involve welding. More common is burning and that’s more dangerous because of the release of hydrogen gas and the sparks from the broco rod.
Eh you're more or less right, off-shore underwater welders can only do the job 5-10 years. I retired from the job after the full 10, it takes a toll on the body, but it's damn good money I tell ya. I just used my earnings to buy apartments and real estate so I don't have to lift a finger for the rest of my life. To anyone else who reads this comment; if you want to live a long life, don't do this job. If you're like me; have minimal regard for your personal safety, and you're open to being friends with a shark or two, and you like welding then by all means give er, but the responsibility is what some compare to military-like.
@@HyperformA1 cheers to that, bud!
Wait wait let me clear out this myth. I quit my last job(forklift driver) and become a diver in age of 37 and now I’m 50 and still working good as a diver, plz don’t believe that bullcrab myrh. It isn’t that much dangerous how you guys think. I do underwater weld underwater the Nuclear Power Plants. There’s some radiation you gotta watch out but we are wearing one of the best gear on the world(better than SEAL) so don’t have to worry about that.
Wow... Thanks to all that awesome welders that keep alive our civilization
I was an inland commercial diver from 1992 - 2004. Most of the U/W welding these days is done in a dry environment. As some one mentioned that most of what is shown in this video is U/w burning with a Broco Rod. U/W burning was fun. If your good at it a diver should be able to burn an 18" cut. the rods are 18".
It was hazardous but not dangerous. There are more dangerous jobs then commercial diving/U/W welding . I mainly did power plant maintenance, Water plant maintenance, laid pipelines, and worked on the locks on the Ohio River and i worked on a lot of dams around the USA. Did some salvage jobs. Did some underwater demolition which was a fun time too. The nitrogen buildup doing shallow dives can be an issue when you get older as i"m finding out now.
R.I.P to those 4 Trinidadian men from last Friday😓🙏🏼🇹🇹
What happened?
@@JesusisKingforsure they got sucked into the 36-inch oil pipeline . I think all of them died
@@lorencelegaspi4566 oh..
@@lorencelegaspi4566 4 died, one was rescued
“Precision” is not the problem with hypothetical robot underwater welders. Problem solving and adaptability is.
Robots today have levels of precision surpassing humans past several orders of magnitude.
Merely swimming around a ships propellor terrifies me seeing how big it is, how much force it creates and the thought of it moving unexpectedly
My father used to do this; he was one of the top welders in Canada.
yes、and my dad was the head of the mafia
Well my dad was one of the top welders in North America so he is above your dad
@@supermegadong7597 LOL, you go girl.
I know a lot of trinbago ppl gonna end at this vid given the tragedy that happened. . May they sleep in eternal peace...
About a week or so ago, 4 underwater welders died in Trinidad and their bodies were recovered in obviously not great condition
At least they went down together.
No
5 actually, 1 survived.
@@sebastienholmes548 that is still 4 dead welders, read harder next time
I’m an underwater wallpaper hanger
and let me say, it’s a dangerous job.
How do you get the wallpaper to stick?
You have to dry the back first.
Really scary! Huge respect for people who do this!
I watched on local TV the story of underwater welder here in Indonesia
He said it doesnt really that dangerous if you follow the protocol and most importanly you should have many possible information about the environment of your working spot
Chance of fatal accident is small if you do everything correctly, but if that happen there's no way to survive. So everytime he called for the job, he do small party with his family, tell them some messege and even saying good bye
He made about $13,600 for 2-3 times dive, 2 hours work per dive. I thought that number was just kidding, but after googling for a while holy smokes that sh*t is real.
But you need years and years of study, alot of certificate, and also years of experience to become one of them and called on big company.
The most facinating thing he said was even tho the money was big it will never enough to cover his and his family's mental damage every time he goes to work.
He retired at 42 after 13 years in the job
mississippi river barge divers are hands down the best guys to work with. I had some great jobs in LA running pipe and installing smart flanges with those guys, great memories.
1:02 "Oh boy I can't WAIT to do some welding!"
PLEASE ADVISE ME.
I was told to spread my savings across different things like BTC and Stocks to protect and support my retirement. with everything being shaky,I'm considering going into Trade. i don't wanna make the wrong choice.
@Zubaida.Ali.Ali5327Ellen DeGeneres hosted Kate floretta on TV 2 yrs ago that was where I saw kate and followed up.i have also been attending her Trade seminars.
you must have these things in mind
1. Have a long term mindset.
2. Be willing to take *risk*.
3. Be careful, if you're not spending to earn back, then stop spending.
4. Never claim to know - Ask questions and it's best you work with an assistant.
Yo I didn't know Kate was this popular,my cousin trade with her for some months now, I tried but couldn't understand anything it's not my thing tho so I passed Lol. I can testify that trade pays very well because my cousin at 23 bought a house already.
When it comes to Trade, I can confidently say that bitcoin is the best option. But most people think it's all about buying and leaving it to rise but It takes a lot more you need to trade it to earn daily.
I think I might have came across the name on an interview last year where she spoke about finance.
My wife has a family friend who is like a father to her and from what I hear from him he could have retired decades ago but he loves to continue working
Appreciate these men for making our world a better place 💯
I do Underwater Wielding, not that dangerous TBH, kind of relaxing. It’s different if you do it in a rubber drysuit than a wetsuit. This job pays differently in different countries and it depends on the company and what the company works with, example: docks, north sea, oil industry etc etc
I find it really hard to get good penetration and nice beeds above water. This is like the ultimate welding job. Much respect to all people who are doing this
I have been an aluminum welder inland for 10yrs.
I will keep my 47k a year. I feel like alot less dangers. Something about electricity and water doesn't sit with me
Had a buddy that did this job,he passed away in Florida from a drug overdose..
He like drugz in his free time,and he liked to push the limit.
🙏but he was a awesome friend..blessings to him,i seen this video and thought of him..
Never in my life have i imagined that, such kind of jobs exists.
Extraordinary stuffs.
This is truly a dangerous job. I pray for all those who do this for a living. I just had a close friend die at Pearl Harbor recently doing this job Rest in love Kealii Boy❤️🙏
For nearly 20 years this job has taken me all over the world. Now I'm done. Time to see my kids grow up. Thankful for all the expwriences and great people I meet from all over the world. Been to the most exotic places, been to the biggest shitholes. Bye bye commercial diving and ROV piloting.
Rov piloting is my dream. What are your thoughts about it?
@@MasParaQue Its great and its replacing the need for divers more and more. Divers will always be needed but the demand for ROV's will increase unlike Diving. Its a unique one of a kind job. Also ROV's are doing an increasing amount of inshore jobs for those who do not want to work offshore.
Do you feel like sharing an anecdote or two about job experiences?
How do you get to travel to exotic places as a welder? That's super intriguing
@@user-qy8tu2bk9m There are not many Commercial Divers that are only underwater welders. It is a part of the job. I have been to many exotic places as that is where the cruise ships often go. These need underwater maintenance and repairs too and sometimes even need to be salvaged. Costa concordia for example. Furthermore there are oilrigs, pipelines, ships and so on all over the world.Some in shitty places and some in holiday destinations.
"men and women" right. I can imagine an incredible amount of feminists screaming for equality in that field.
There are women offshore. And they are divers. 3 on my boat right now...
colossal respect for those dudes.
Blessings to all doing this work.
I knew a guy like that. He spent his days drinking, just to numb off the anxiety.
The most dangerous job in the world is a census worker in the Appalachian mountains. Every house greets you with a shotgun and a friendly "go back where you came from."
Ah man I forgot about those people… one of the years the census people were going my town, one of them got drug inside a house by a kid who has Autism… he beat the hell out of the census worker thinking she was trying to kidnap him… I felt bad for both sides lmao… I’d really hate to be a census worker… I’d rather be a repo man or mail man before ever being a census worker lmao
And that's not even the worst that can happen to you. I watched this movie the other day where 4 men are going on a canoe trip,.....................
My brother was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. I always thought being a Marine was one of the deadliest jobs... 😔
99% of the people who find out I'm a welder hit me with the question right after.... "Have you heard of underwater weld..." YES I HAVE STFU lmao holy sheet
I would kill to be an underwater welder. This job looks insanely fun. Will always be one of my dream jobs! I'll get there eventually.
You have to be wiling to go where the jobs are. In todays world welding is about 10% of what you will be doing underwater. Yes, when you do actually weld its important so be prepared to test weekly or daily sometimes. Diving is broken in to 2 main areas. Inland (working on water plants, nuclear facilities, bridges, paper mills and so on) and offshore (oil rigs, boat salvage, pipelines, offshore windfarms) they both carry their own lifestyle. Offshore youre living on a boat for 40-60 days at a time. Inland you work mostly mon-fri but stay in a hotel and travel quite often. November to beginning of Feb is the slow season. Alot of work in the Gulf stops around than because of the weather.
You got the "insane" bit right............
You"ve got to kill somebody first
Only few other jobs are tougher than this!
Underwater sewer plant cleaning or what ever its called
I had a friend attempt this.
He mentally lost it and failed the course
My uncle told me a story about his friend who was an underwater welder
He said his friend felt something that he was constantly being watched underwater whenever when he was at work, sent a cold shiver down my spine, can't blame him, being underwater for a very long time makes you feel anxious not knowing what's in the water with you
fish
It's also VERY well paid. In trade school we were told about jobs where you effectively work 6 months of the year and earn 500K obviously not all pay that well but considering regular welders here earn at a minimum 30 an hour and most get more like $45 an hour you'd expect dive welders to be paid even more.
Call me a wimp, but these people couldn’t pay me enough to do this job. Mad respect to those who risk their lives everyday! 💪💪
I saw a dude swim into a waterpipe, underground to weld it from the inside.
I thought that was pretty crasy.
I’m currently in the process trying to become an underwater welder …..I know it might take a while before I get there ….. I know it it’s dangerous and didn’t want to look up how dangerous it was but here I am …..
Had a friend wanting to go into this field. He instantly did a u turn after learning more about it. He said he’ll just stick to above water welding. Lol
One of the coolest jobs ever. If I lived close to a job opportunity I'd take it.
Pay in underwater welding and commercial diving kind of stagnated in the 2000s through 2010s, it is starting to catch back up though. It hovered around $25 an hour, which was bank in the 80s and 90s but it’s unacceptable today. Don’t be discouraged though, rates are rising slowly but surely. When you’re starting out as a tender obviously expect less and to have to cut your teeth a bit but also don’t let them try and pay you less than $18-20 an hour, because rising tender rates helps push up experienced rates. If you want to make good money and be at sea but don’t want to work underwater look at rope access courses. Those are the guys that dangle off the sides of ships and oil rigs welding. They make pretty good money as well.