PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
FEATURE SPONSOR
HIGH LEVEL HAZARD PROTECTION
The UK is the third largest generator of wind energy and the sector is continuing to show significant growth. This requires a growing workforce to conduct installations, undertake routine checks and maintenance on turbines installed both on land and offshore.
Despite legislation and safety standards in place to ensure the safety of turbine engineers, on average 141 accidents were recorded in the wind energy sector each year from 2008 to 2012. The number of fatalities recorded since 1970 has now reached 144 and of these, 87 deaths were among support workers within construction, maintenance and engineering or among small turbine owners and operators.
HARSH ENVIRONMENT Turbine engineers experience a number of unique and challenging conditions as well as more common industrial hazards such as working at height and manual handling. Engineers are often required to work in isolated, remote and hard to reach locations which can be exposed to extreme weather conditions, particularly when working on offshore installations.
Not only does exposure to extremes in temperature affect worker productivity and concentration, increasing the risk of accidents, but remote working also brings its own set of challenges in terms of communicating with workers and ensuring that they remain safe.
Wind turbines are vulnerable to lightening strikes so engineers face the risk of electrocution or exposure to heat and flame. Other causes of fire include machinery breakdown, electrical installation failure or the presence of ignition sources such as repair works involving welding, cutting and grinding sparks. If the wind turbine housing catches fire this poses a significant risk to both workers inside the nacelle and tower as well as those directly below it.
PROTECTION DESIGNED TO PERFORM The consequences of burn related injury can be life-changing and flame resistant (FR) personal protection equipment is required to help reduce burn injury. Arco the UK’s leading safety company, has developed a range of FR garments offering multi-hazard protection for workers in high risk environments including wind turbine installation and maintenance.
This includes a range of high-viz hazardwear that incorporates GORE-TEX® Heat & Flame Garments with GORE® PYRAD® Fabric Technology with self-extinguishing thermal stability and thermal insulation of the laminate.
EUROPEAN STANDARDS All company GORE® PYRAD® Fabric Technology hazardwear garments comply with seven European standards, including EN 1149-5:2005 for electrostatic dissipative protective clothing and the higher international EN standard EN
ISO11612 for Protective Clothing Against Heat and Flame.
The wearer can be sure that if garments come into contact with heat or flame, the flame will quickly be extinguished, no hole in the fabric will form and they will be effectively protected.
COMFORT AND PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS
Arco products containing GORE-TEX® fabrics allow wearers to work in ultimate comfort as garments remain durably waterproof, windproof and breathable, as well as being permeable to water vapour.
These properties ensure that water from the outside will never penetrate, cold winds cannot pass through and perspiration can escape easily so that the body always stays dry and comfortable.
TRAINING DIVISION
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES Arco’s understanding of the wind energy industry and the challenges faced by those that work in it means that its product ranges are designed to perform under the toughest working conditions.
The company also offers training on the dangers of working at height, control measures, equipment and care.
Arco
82
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100