Diver

Job overview
Divers, whether civilian or military, work underwater in protective clothing with oxygen supply hose.

Their work ranges from the construction, repair and maintenance of underwater pipelines, dams etc., to the recovery of drowned bodies?.

What do people do in this job?
Career possibilities include:-?
Commercial/Industrial diving?
Commercial diving involves the construction, repair and maintenance of pipelines, dams etc. ?under water.

The specialised tasks of the industrial diver under water are amongst others, welding and drilling, surveying, working with explosives and machine monitoring.

Scientific diving?
Scientific diving is scientific research underwater in the fields of archaeology, mineralogy and biology.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Working underwater is not only difficult and strenuous, but also potentially dangerous.

Divers are exposed to many natural risks.

Diving illnesses such as decompression illness, carbon dioxide poisoning, air supply obstruction and oxygen poisoning must always be borne in mind.

Candidates must not suffer from any physical disorder or have any sight-, speech-, or hearing problems.

Physical fitness is very important and divers must not suffer from a fear of being in closed in? (claustrophobia?) ?or a fear of heights? (acrophobia?)?.

They should be reasonably strong swimmers.

What qualifications are needed?
Apart from the physical and mental requirements listed above, divers should normally undergo training at a diving school such as those operating in South Africa.