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Have you ever wondered what it might be like to work for a subsea company drilling for oil and natural gas, laying submarine cables, fishing, or doing exploration or salvage work? Most of the jobs in these types of industries pay very well indeed. But they are also among some of the most dangerous in the world. So many things can go wrong in an offshore environment; things that often end in serious injury and loss of life

The Harsh Offshore Environment

The primary reason offshore work is so dangerous lies in the fact that the environment out at sea is so harsh. For example, you may have experienced a fairly severe Atlantic or Pacific coast storm powerful enough to knock down power lines and trees, tear roofs off houses, and carry away cars. But the most severe storms at sea make coastal storms seem like picnics. Imagine the strongest hurricane or typhoon you can think of along the coast then multiply it many times over in the open sea.

The subsea company whose operations consist primarily of working on ships is more susceptible to weather than one which uses permanent platforms. Ships easily run into trouble during severe weather, and deckhands are more susceptible to being thrown overboard. Every year far too many workers lose their lives being thrown overboard or being involved in on-board accidents. Furthermore, it's not common for fishing vessels and cargo ships to go down in some of the worst seas.

Special Concerns for Oil Rigs

Workers employed by energy companies incur some added risks of their own when they go to work on offshore platforms. Whether these platforms are permanent or semi submersible, their compact nature and high profile make working on them dangerous even under optimal conditions. Furthermore, drilling for oil and natural gas is always risky business, but it's made it that much worse on a platform that could be hundreds of miles out to sea. It takes a special kind of worker to commit 12 hours per day, for two weeks straight, to do that type of work.

In addition to the potential damage caused by rough weather, platform workers also have to contend with the ever-present possibility of fire or explosion. Furthermore, the use of heavy equipment combined with the labour-intensity of the typical rig job make cuts, bruises, and broken bones a normal part of the workday. It is, without a doubt, not a work environment for everyone.

As dangerous as it might be to work for a subsea company, we owe a debt of gratitude to all those willing to take such risky jobs. Without them, our lives would be drastically different indeed.