2022's Top Safety Tips for the Wind Energy Industry

From manufacturing the estimated 8,000 specialized parts that make up a wind turbine to erecting and working on towers up to 300 feet tall, there are dangers at every turn. Wind energy safety is a serious business and it's your obligation under OSHA and Canada Occupational Health & Safety to provide adequate protection for your workers. 

Tips for Identifying and Addressing Common Wind Energy Safety Hazards

But before you can determine what wind turbine safety equipment you need, it's necessary to evaluate your operation with an eye on spotting wind energy safety issues and protecting against them. Some things you need to always bear in mind:

Always be Aware of Fall Hazards

Falls are among the biggest risks for workers across industries, and this is also true for the wind energy industry. In the manufacturing plant, any time workers perform duties 4' or more (specific height thresholds may vary according to regulations in your country or locality) above the previous level fall protection is required. Wind towers are hundreds of feet in height, and even during the construction of a wind turbine, workers may be exposed to heights of 100 feet or more. These work environments clearly require fall protection such as a ladder safety system, safety harnesses, lanyards, and lifelines.

Guard Your Workers Against Electrocution Risk

Wind turbines are intended to generate electricity that can be supplied to homes and businesses. As such, they're extremely dangerous places for workers to be. An employee without adequate wind turbine safety equipment and proper training could be electrocuted, incapacitated, and at risk of serious injury. Arc flashes, electric shock, and thermal burns are all possible in a wind turbine setting. 

Don’t Forget About Confined Spaces

Despite the size of wind farms and the turbines, they can harbor many potentially dangerous confined spaces. Wind turbine construction, maintenance, and repairs often require workers to enter a space that isn't meant to be continuously occupied. If that space also has limited entry and exit access, such as a wind turbine nacelle or blade surface, it's considered a confined space. These spaces are potentially dangerous due to access complications, potential environmental contaminants, extreme heat, or other issues.

Tips for Choosing the Right Wind Turbine Safety Equipment

Once you've performed a thorough inspection and evaluation of your wind energy production facility, construction organization, or maintenance crew, it's time to get busy. You need to decide which wind energy safety equipment you need to ensure everyone on your job site is safe and your company is compliant. Just a few of the things you should be thinking about include:

Make Sure You Have the Right Ladder Safety System

Accessing a wind turbine via a fixed ladder is common, but it's also a dangerous proposition. Workers should also be using a ladder safety system whenever climbing up or down a fixed ladder for added security and safety. Check your local regulations, but a ladder safety system will typically consist of a carrier, safety sleeve, lanyard, connectors, and body harness. In addition to actively preventing and protecting against falls, this equipment assists by supporting a portion of a worker’s weight during the climb, reducing the associated fatigue and muscle pain that can contribute to falls and other accidents. 

Safety Equipment can also improve the ability of workers to perform tasks while remaining protected from falls. For safe ladder climbing, it is vital that every employee uses proper technique while climbing, which means 2 hands and 1 foot, or 2 feet and 1 hand must be in contact with the ladder at all times. In many cases, a work positioning lanyard may allow certain tasks to be performed with both hands while the lanyard securely holds the worker in place while stationary on the ladder.

Protect Workers from High Winds

The reason that wind turbines are approximately 300 feet tall is that this altitude is where the winds usually blow the strongest. When workers are faced with working on a wind turbine during high wind conditions, however, it can be particularly precarious. Repairs and maintenance should be scheduled when wind conditions are most favorable, if possible. A specially designed wind harness that's lightweight, strong, and comfortable is key to a job that's safely done. When worn properly, a safety harness allows safe and effective work to be performed, protects a worker from serious injury, and facilitates a safe rescue in the event of an accident. To minimize shock risks, buckles and other parts of safety harnesses made specially for use on wind power towers are often made of less conductive metals, where practical.

Rely on Lifting Tools and Equipment

In addition to employees needing to climb or ride to the top of the wind turbine, you also need tools, parts, and equipment to complete the job. It's extremely difficult for an employee to carry anything as they climb a ladder and it's also incredibly dangerous. To avoid injuries and dropped items, only small tools which can be safely attached to the tool clips of a worker’s harness should be brought up by individual workers, while a winch or hoist should be employed to safely move all other items up and down the tower. Either manually operated or powered lifting equipment may be appropriate.

Confined Space Safety Requires Special Preparation and Care

Anytime a worker has to enter a confined space, it's vital that they're doing so in a safe manner that's compliant with OSHA or Canada Occupational Health & Safety guidelines. That means using the proper safety equipment such as a safety harness, lanyard, and lifeline. You also need to provide protection against any environmental issues inside the space such as providing air quality monitoring as well as adequate ventilation and protection from extreme temperatures. Due to the dangers present, a detailed plan and the equipment to fulfill it must always be in place to assist a worker who's overcome and is in need of rescue from the confined space.

Find the Right Partner for Wind Turbine Safety Equipment Today

As more communities and regions lean toward wind power as their primary energy option, you want to be there to provide the power they need. And Tractel is here for you, with specially engineered fall protection products, and evacuation and rescue devices made for safely ascending and descending wind turbine towers. Contact us today to speak to one of our highly experienced safety experts. We will work with you to determine what you need to keep your workers safe and to maintain full compliance with the wind energy safety regulations that apply.

Contact Tractel®

Tractel also engineers blade maintenance platforms, service lifts, climb assists, material handling hoists, and the derope® evacuation device for the wind power industry. With decades of experience in OSHA and Canada Occupational Health & Safety compliance, we can help you make the right wind turbine safety equipment choices for any application.