Are saturation divers well paid?

On average, they work around 120-150 days a year. Experienced saturation divers working offshore can earn £1,500 a day or more. Police and Armed Forces divers salaries are in line with salaries for these organisations.

Is it hard to become a saturation diver?

Saturation diving is intense work, dangerous and demanding, requiring physical and mental stamina, as well as extensive dive training. Saturation divers wear hot-water, breath a mixture of helium and oxygen, and descend to the extreme depths in a dive bell. Most diving academies require a high school diploma or GED.

Is diving saturation bad?

There is some evidence of long term cumulative reduction in lung function in saturation divers. Saturation divers are frequently troubled by superficial infections such as skin rashes, otitis externa and athlete’s foot, which occur during and after saturation exposures.

How long does it take to become a saturated diver?

Saturation Operations Today, most sat diving is conducted between 65 feet and 1,000 feet. Decompression from these depths takes approximately one day per 100 feet of seawater plus a day. A dive to 650 feet would take approximately eight days of decompression.

How much does it cost to become a saturation diver?

Here are some of the typical costs: $8,000 – minimum 8-week training program for obtaining certification. $12,000 – more extensive training over 16 weeks. $15,000 to $20,000 – out of state tuition costs for a two-year college program towards Associate of Science degree in marine diving technologies.

How do saturation divers decompress?

Saturation diving, aka SAT diving, was born to overcome this problem. SAT divers live for up 28 days in a small topside chamber that is pressurized to the same level as the underwater construction environment, so divers do not have to decompress after each shift. They are lowered to depth using a diving bell.

Why is it called saturation diving?

The term “saturation” refers to the fact that the diver’s body tissues are saturated with the maximum amount of dissolved gasses possible at that depth. To get to the seafloor, divers exit their pressure chamber habitat through an airlock, and enter a diving bell.

How much do saturation welders make?

Depth of Work: How Much Money Does a Saturation Diver Make? Saturation divers make up to $45,000 – $90,000 per month and over $500,000 annually. They receive “depth pay” which typically pays out an additional $1 – $4 per foot. Usually, it’s $1 per foot up to 100 feet, then it raises up to $2 per foot after that.