Some would argue that that there is no actual new technology within a wind farm that doesnt already exist in other industries today. They say that it is just presented at height and that this is a hazard that is already fully understood and already well controlled. In fact most wind farm operators are indeed getting safety right, but its the minority who arent that we hear about.
So the industry consensus is that the importance of safety does not lie with the turbine itself being a hazard, but rather with the safety mentality of the technician working on it.
Wind Energy Update recently interviewed Eric Endreszl, Head of Operations at US Climb and Abseil about the US wind sectors performance on onshore turbine Health and Safety. Endreszl comments there are improvements that need to be made, especially around enclosed spaces but follows most companies are already training their employees correctly.
In such a nascent industry it is the inexperienced workers that are more at risk. Wind turbine technicians therefore need to build upon their already existing safety culture within the workplace to promote the development of appropriate safety and health compliance requirements for work in the industry.
Endreszl goes on to point out that it should be the responsibility of the trainer to act as a medium between upper management and the technicians through advanced communication. And that this should be a two way street with workers being encouraged to feed back to management on potential risks in their daily work. This has already enabled wind farm operators to deal with issues before they become a problem.
As Endreszl points out, most companies involved in the wind industry are training their employees correctly so its crucial that these companies to share their knowledge with the wider industry in an attempt to educate and reveal simple ways to keep employees safe. Wind Energy Update have put together a meeting on September 8 9 in Dallas TX where Eric and dozens more wind safety professionals will be discussing these issues in more detail. Full details on this event can be found at http://www.windenergyupdate.com/health-safety-usa
Alternatively, to listen to the podcast this press release is based upon, simply go to the following website: http://www.windenergyupdate.com/health-safety-usa/Eric_Endreszl.shtml
For more details on the podcast or the meeting in Dallas in September contact jon(at)windenergyupdate(dot)com
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