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Surface supply vs scuba for bridge inspections in Portland | Commercial Divers - Librear

Surface supply vs scuba for bridge inspections in Portland

I had to pick between sticking with my scuba setup or switching to a full surface supply rig for this bridge job near Portland. The surface supply was heavier to haul around but the comms made life way easier with the topside crew. Ended up going with scuba for the first day since the current was light, now I'm second guessing that choice. Anyone else made the switch and regretted it or was it worth the extra gear to haul?

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.ruby3mo ago

Portland bridges have lead paint issues. Scuba keeps you cleaner.

evan_harris143mo ago

Always heard that lead paint is no joke especially with the dust that gets everywhere when you're scraping or sanding. Read somewhere that the particles can hang in the air for hours and if you're under a bridge with limited air flow it's pretty much just settling on everything. Idk if a scuba setup is overkill but I guess if it keeps that crap out of your lungs it's probably worth the hassle. My buddy's dad worked on old buildings in Seattle and used a full respirator with positive pressure and still got tested regularly. So honestly whatever works to not breathe that stuff in is probably smart.

oscar3903mo ago

Yo @allen.ruby, that "scuba keeps you cleaner" part got me thinking. I remember this one time my buddy was painting his old house boat and swore by wearing a respirator under his scuba mask. He said it was the only way to not breathe in all the dust and lead crap from the old paint. Now I'm picturing you under a bridge with a full wetsuit on, scrubbing those girders like a underwater cleaning crew. Kinda ridiculous but I guess if it works, it works. Portland's bridges are a mess, no doubt about it.