HEALTH & SAFETY
Safety Passports
Is there a need for a holistic safety passport for the renewable energy sector?
HAZARDS MASSIVE GROWTH
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WIND ENERGY CAPACITY WILL BE OVER 8.5GW (OVERTAKING NUCLEAR) BY THE END OF 2013, INCREASING TO 6GW OFFSHORE ALONE BY 2015. THE INDUSTRY ITSELF WILL BOOM WITH THE INCREASING NEED FOR COMPETENT PROFESSIONALS FROM THE FEASIBILITY STAGES, THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PHASES.
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Many of the work-force will be from other industries, generally skilled or knowledgeable and have some form of health and safety awareness or training. These ‘other’ industries, in contrast, are ‘safety’ reliant whereas the wind energy sector holds pockets of safety related training (typically offshore requirements), but no holistic coverage.
PAST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Lord Browne pointed out in March 2011 the government supported the oil and gas supply chain in its early days, with the result that it now generates £16bn a year and employs more than 300,000 people in the UK. So the question remains, given the sector emergence and a desire not to undergo a permissioning regime, does the sector need to look at an ‘Accredited Safety Passport Scheme’ similar to those used in other industries/sectors?
WIND ENERGY INSTALLATIONS
We have large installations, both onshore and offshore, whilst we are seeing an increase in medium and small sized turbine installations throughout the UK. Many of these installations will require management under ‘Construction, Design & Management Regulations’, however, safety doesn’t stop at ‘Construction’. Furthermore, there are a large number of micro-wind turbines in the UK, either free standing or on buildings, these too require forms of ‘grid’ or ‘battery unit’ connection and safety needs to be considered with these developments in mind also.
At whatever size we look within the wind energy sector, the hazards in the industry include working from height, slips and trips, contact with moving machinery, possible risks of electrocution or from fire and construction in windy conditions, all significant and constant, whatever the size of installation. Offshore construction is even more hazardous including risks from large waves, diving activities, siting the turbines and issues such as stepping from a boat onto a turbine.
EXPOSURE TO RISK
As previously stated, wind turbines require maintenance; therefore workers will be exposed to these risks on a consistent basis, but how do you control the risks and show competence and overall appreciation?
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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