Wind Turbine Industry Safety

Wind turbine safety is increasingly important as wind turbines continue to grow taller.

Wind turbine safety is important to remember particularly as turbines grow taller and produce more electricity. The biggest risk is falling from heights. But other risks related directly to wind turbines are electrocution from touching high-voltage wires on a wind turbine. And in some incidences the failure of a wind turbine has led to an accident or even death.

Injuries and Fatalities

Since the 1970's, when commercial-scale wind turbines were first installed, 731 reported accidents of all types have occurred worldwide as of March 2010, according to the Caithness Windfarm Information Forum, a Scotland-based citizens' organization, concerned about the proliferation of wind turbines. Of those accidents, only 60 were fatal. Beyond that 38 more incidents causing human harm were reported. The organization also reported the number of environmental incidents as 63, including bird kills. Other incidents included structural failure, blade failure, fire, ice throw, transportation and miscellaneous incidents.

Falling

The biggest safety risk related to wind turbines is definitely falling and was the cause of most of the 60 deaths reported since the 1970s. This includes falls from the tower itself, the nacelle (top part of the turbine) and the blade assembly. That said, considering that more than 200,000 wind turbines are now up and operational throughout the world, the number of overall fatalities is not very high, but could be further reduced as well.

Fall Protection

A harness similar to this is necessary for wind turbine workers.

To help reduce the incidence of falls, numerous precautions are taken. These include fall arrest systems that are installed inside the tower to stop anyone from falling within the shaft of the tower and fall arrest equipment for workers. This usually consists of a fall arrest harness, which attaches via a lanyard to ladders and other points where a fall is possible, like atop the nacelle. Technicians must wear these while working in or on the turbine, according to Occupational Health & Safety.

Electrocution

Another prime safety concern with wind turbines is electrocution. At this point, most, if not all wind commercial-scale wind turbines are equipped with brakes and shutoffs, minimizing the risk of electrocution while they are being maintained. The brakes assure that the turbine does not produce electricity while it is being maintained and the shut off makes sure there is no current flowing through the high voltage wires of the turbine.

Increasing Safety

The American Wind Energy Association is working to increase worker safety and develop best practices for ensuring safety. It is working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to help develop safety practices and standards across the wind industry. Already wind turbine manufacturers and installers have safety technicians that perform safety training for their workers on a regular basis. And some of the safety practices are being adopted from other industries with similar concerns.

References

• Caithness Windfarm Information Forum: Summary of Wind Turbine Accident data to 31st March 2010
• Occupational Health & Safety: Fall Protection Considerations in the Wind Industry
• Incident Prevention: Strategies for Safety in the Wind Industry