Why Is Underwater Welding So Dangerous?

 

In this Scuba Diving Blog-Scuba Gear Reviews Scuba Diving Week I will discuss the reason that welding is so dangerous. In all likelihood, you are probably very passionate about your love for diving. You probably want to take your passion to a new level and explore the incredible underwater world. As you explore the wonderful underwater world and begin to learn more about the marine ecosystem, you may find yourself considering the fact that it would be much safer if you did not undertake any welding work under water.

Let's start with why is underwater welding so dangerous. In all likelihood, you are very excited and impatient while working on a job under the water. As such, you may forget to take into account some very important safety procedures. For instance, keep in mind the tremendous heat that you can generate while working on metal underwater, as well as the high temperature of the water. Hypothermia and electrical shock are certainly possibilities.

In addition, there are several other very real and scary dangers that you should be aware of, as well. Scuba Diving is a fun, exciting, and stimulating activity. But when we talk about "Danger" - it doesn't always have to mean "Dangerous". There are plenty of legitimate and safe activities that you can engage in, safely and without harm. One of those activities is Scuba Welding.

It is estimated that there are over 1200 underwater welding deaths each year, primarily resulting from welding accidents. Why is this so? In all likelihood, the worker was under the influence of alcohol or some other depressant at the time of the accident, which can lead to drowning or hypothermia - and this can happen regardless of whether or not you are wearing an oxygen tank. (You may want to discuss this further with your doctor if you are in any doubt about whether or not you should partake in this type of job.)

Another danger is something called "scuba diving related accidents" (SSOA). This term was created to describe any accidental injury resulting from diving without the proper scuba equipment. For the most part, these incidents result from someone not using the proper safety equipment - or failing to pay enough attention to the conditions under which they will be working underwater.

These types of accidents are all too common and often result from people who just don't know enough about the proper diving techniques. The result - or outcome - can be permanent or be very minor. A typical scenario involves a welder who was working in a factory, or other large industrial building, when he became accidentally trapped beneath the concrete surface. As the welder continued to work, he began to feel extremely weak, and had trouble breathing. Fortunately, his colleagues had given him some heavy-duty diving cylinders to use in case of an emergency, but instead of using them, he decided to hang around for the day, in hopes that the cylinders would help him to stay afloat long enough to call for help.