One of the many specialties of welding is the underwater welding career. This is a very important aspect of welding and one that many are learning to do. Underwater welding is very important when it comes to ships and other structures that are under water. This means that the welder must be able to go into the water and use a welding torch to fix the structures.
In order to be an underwater welder you will need to have certification as a welder and as a commercial diver. You will also need to have good diving skills and you must understand safety under the water. There are basically two types of welding that an underwater welder will do:
- Dry underwater welding – an individual welder will use a chamber filled with a gas mixture. This is sealed around the metal that is going to be welded. The type of welding used is called gas tungsten arc welding and it gives a high integrity.
- Wet underwater welding – this is when a diver goes into the water to fix a structure underwater. They may be working on a ship or other type of project that requires them to dive and stay for the duration of the time to do the welding.
Equipment Needs
All welders will need safety and welding equipment that is suited to marine welding. They will also need the proper commercial diving equipment.
Risks
An underwater welder can encounter some of the same risks as one who develops on land but there are a few others to consider. Electric shock is always a risk for anyone doing welding. In order to stop this in the water the welder must use welding equipment that is used within a sea or marine environment. Also, divers will need to guard against decompression sickness especially when they have been in the water welding awhile and the pressure changes.
Usually pressure will change because of the gases that have been inhaled. The wet welder also has the risk of a buildup of pockets of oxygen and hydrogen because these can explode. Some divers have talked about a metallic taste that they have if they have amalgam dentistry or problems with memory or musculoskeletal problems. These are rare but they are a risk. For more information about any changes in this field the American Welding Society (AWS) is a good place to start.
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