thumb|300px|alt=Diver wearing a diving helmet is sanding a repair patch on a submarine|A [[Navy diver (United States Navy)|US Navy diver at work. The umbilical supplying air from the surface is clearly visible.]]

Professional diving is underwater diving where the divers are paid for their work. Occupational diving has a similar meaning and applications. The procedures are often regulated by legislation and codes of practice as it is an inherently hazardous occupation and the diver works as a member of a team. Due to the dangerous nature of some professional diving operations, specialized equipment such as an on-site hyperbaric chamber and diver-to-surface communication system is often required by law, and the mode of diving for some applications may be regulated.

There are several branches of professional diving, the best known of which is probably commercial diving and its specialised applications, commercial offshore diving, inshore civil engineering diving, marine salvage diving, hazmat diving, and ships husbandry diving. There are also applications in scientific research, marine archaeology, fishing and aquaculture, public safety, law enforcement, military service, media work and diver training.

Any person wishing to become a professional diver normally requires specific training that satisfies any regulatory agencies which have regional or national authority, such as US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive or South African Department of Employment and Labour.-->

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  • USA Government Regulations for Commercial Diving (federal code)
  • UK Health and Safety Executive Website (UK Government)
  • Australia Diver Accreditation Scheme Website (Australian Government)
  • Diving Diseases Research Centre
  • Sea Research Society
  • History of Commercial Diving
  • Diving Heritage Life of a nuclear diver
  • History of Diving Museum Home of the Association of Diving Contractors, International (ADCI) Commercial Diving Hall of Fame Monument

Nuclear diving articles

  • "Swimming on the Hot Side", Popular Science, March 27, 2012

Scientific diving articles

  • Research and Discoveries: The Revolution of Science through Scuba, over 50 archived webcasts of symposium, 24–25 May 2010, Smithsonian Institution, National Research Council of the National Academies, National Science Foundation.

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