It's dark hundreds of feet below the surface of the water — pitch black, in fact. So dark that even the most technologically advanced underwater lighting isn't much of a help to divers struggling to see.

So rather than using their eyes to work, deep sea divers often use their other senses to complete a job — in many cases, contorting their bodies in uncomfortable positions deep below the sea to reach a worksite. At the same time, these divers must maintain their composure while at work in the darkness. A bump in the night, so to speak, cannot send them bolting for the surface. A direct return to the surface from such depths may lead to the bends, other injuries — or even death.

While many professions pose dangers, marine industry jobs rank among some of the riskiest. These jobs, for which specialized agents and brokers are regularly writing policies and carefully trained adjusters are responding to claims by land or sea, include many work-related risks, some of which can be avoided.

Dangerous Job #1: Divers

While many may visualize divers as treasure hunters, rummaging through old shipwrecks at the bottom of ocean, these construction workers of the sea are actually jetting pipelines, welding ships, inspecting oil rigs, assisting the building of bridges, tunnels and much more. They are well-trained, educated and well paid — in some cases roughly $200,000 annually. They work in the water at depths of two feet to 950 feet.