34 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2007–08

Tightening a bolt might seem simple, but 

what if that bolt is 1,000 feet underwater? 

For commercial divers, the ocean floor is 

an everyday workspace. Despite the exotic location, the jobs they do can be surprisingly familiar. 

“Usually we’re construction workers,” says 

commercial diver Ron Null. “The tasks we do are 

routine. But it’s not a routine environment.” And 

that means that even a simple task becomes more 

complicated.

Commercial divers build, repair, and inspect 

structures that are submerged in liquid. These 

divers might weld underwater cracks in deep-sea 

oil rigs, lay the foundation for a bridge piling, 

inspect pipes in water treatment plants, or rig and 

remove a 300,000-pound concrete remnant from 

the bottom of a river. 

Because their work is so varied, commercial 

divers must be able to adapt. “You need to be as 

flexible as possible,” says Ron. “Some days we 

are making very sensitive measurements, some 

days we’re repairing a septic tank, and some days 

we’re just digging a ditch.” 

But whatever they’re doing, divers are usually 

working wet—in dive suits designed for the type 

of liquid they’re in and the pressure they’re under. 

Divers often work in teams, with some divers 

in the water and others helping from the shore 

or on a boat. Each day begins with a briefing 

describing safety issues and who will do each 

underwater task and in what order. 

Then the divers suit up, put on their helmets 

or masks, and jump or slide into the water.

Many jobs involve working with engineers to 

inspect bridges and other structures. “We are the 

eyes, ears, and hands for engineers,” says Ron. 

“We inspect for them, measure, and note what 

we see.” Often, divers carry video cameras so 

that engineers can watch them as they work.

Divers say that working underwater can 

be a strange experience. The equipment is 

bulky. Movement is limited. And conditions 

are often cold and dark. Because it’s dark, the 

work is tactile: Workers know where things 

are by feeling for them. “On the bottom of 

the ocean floor, you might be surrounded by 

concrete forms and tools,” says Ron. “But 

over time, you come to know just where the 

right wrench is.” 

While underwater, a diver is in continual 

communication with helpers and other divers 

on the surface. These workers watch airhoses, clock time underwater, maintain logs, and 

give the diver instructions and assistance. 

When the diver finishes in the water, he or 

she usually dries off, warms up, puts away 

equipment, and then goes to the boat deck to 

help the next diver. 

Efficiency is important because divers can spend only a specific amount of 

You’re a what?

Comm e r c ia l d iv e r

by

Olivia

Crosby
Winter 2007–08 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 35

For Ron Null, working around fish

is just another day at the office.

time submerged, depending on the water depth 

and the equipment they are using. Every minute 

submerged is expensive because of the logistics 

involved. The best divers are clear thinkers who 

work quickly and improvise to solve problems. 

Divers need to adjust gradually to normal 

atmospheric pressure after a deep dive. This 

process is called decompression. If the dive is 

very deep, divers spend hours in a decompression chamber that gradually reduces the pressure 

around them.

Unless these and other safety procedures are 

followed, divers can suffer from decompression 

sickness or other illnesses. In some cases, divers 

must protect themselves from hazardous liquids 

and heavy equipment. 

Most divers are never seriously injured, 

though, in part because of their training. “If you 

don’t pay attention, you can get yourself into a 

dangerous situation,” says Ron. “But the job is 

not inherently dangerous.”

But the absence of danger does not mean that 

the work is always pleasant. Unlike scuba divers, 

who swim through beautiful scenery, commercial 

divers work in debris. And the many divers who 

work on offshore oil rigs must live aboard ships 

for months. This time spent away from family is 

the biggest drawback for most divers.

Many divers start out working on oil rigs because opportunities are plentiful, the pay is good, 

and the job provides a chance to travel the world. 

Divers who want more time at home can work 

inland on dams, bridges, ports, and shipyards. 

The difficulties divers face are reflected in 

their pay. Divers usually earn more than most 

other construction, installation, and repair workers, and the potential for very high wages is often 

greater. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, commercial divers who worked as 

employees earned a median of $19.03 an hour 

in May 2006, meaning that half of divers earned 

more than that amount and half earned less. Ten 

percent of divers earned more than $36.43, and 

10 percent earned less than $12.79. 

Just as in other construction careers, though, 

pay can be sporadic. “You can work for 9 months 

straight but then be unemployed for 3,” says Ron. 

“I tell young divers that they should plan and save 

for a rainy day.” 

Despite the financial uncertainty, some divers 

see a variable schedule as freedom. Most people 

are attracted to diving by a sense of adventure, as 

well as by the promise of a well-paying career. 

“I’ve seen places all over the world that I never 

would have seen if I hadn’t been a diver,” says 

Ron. “You can work in Singapore, in Italy, be up 

in the mountains, or on an island—really, anywhere.” 

Like most divers, Ron worked as a divers’ 

helper—or tender—for about 3 years before getting into the water professionally. Now he works 

as a supervisor and consultant. He plans dives and 

helps engineers figure out how to use diving to 

solve problems. But he still dives, too.

Anyone can be a diver, Ron says, even if he 

or she can’t swim well. The most important skill 

for a diver is to be able to do mechanical work. 

“Lots of farm kids who learned how to fix their 

parents’ tractors make very good divers,” he says, 

“even if they never saw the water.” Knowing a 

trade, such as welding or ironwork, is also helpful.

Nearly all divers go to diving school. Schooling usually lasts a few months and varies in quality. Those schools accredited by the Association 

of Commercial Diving Educators are often the 

most comprehensive. Employers suggest looking 

for schools that offer hands-on experience, low 

tuition, and job placement assistance.

Beyond this training, teamwork is what 

Ron looks for in new hires. And camaraderie is 

something he likes best about his work. “There’s 

always a common goal of achievement,” he says. 

He gains satisfaction from working together with 

other divers to see something built. 

Conditions are sometimes rough, but after 

30 years, Ron still loves the work. “During a job, 

I might be standing on deck in the rain and the 

wind, after long hours, and thinking, ‘I’ll never 

do this work again,’” he says. “But a few months 

later, I’m laughing with the guys who were with 

me, and I want to get back out there.”

Olivia Crosby is managing editor of the OOQ, (202) 691–5716.