Underwater welding has been developed and improved over several decades. Some key developments include the first underwater welds by the British Admiralty in the 1940s, specialized waterproof electrodes created in the 1970s, and qualification of an underwater wet welding procedure to AWS standards. There are two main types of underwater welding - wet welding, which is done directly in the water, and dry welding, which uses pressurized habitats. Underwater welding is used for offshore construction, ship repair, salvaging sunken vessels, and repairing underwater pipelines. While it enables work in places not accessible otherwise, it also presents risks like hydrogen embrittlement and decompression sickness that require safety precautions.