Windpower Engineering and Development 2022 Renewable Energy Handbook December 2021

SAFETY

An inside look at how safety standards are created for the wind industry

BY W E S L E Y W I T T , C H A I R ; A N D K R I S T Y A B E L , V I C E C H A I R | G WO N O R T H A M E R I C A CO M M I T T E E

The

amount of standardized safety training continues to increase year-over-year across North America in the wind industry because companies gain productivity and a more flexible workforce, while workers are more easily hired and valuable to their employers.

In 2020, the number of Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training modules completed grew by 30% compared to the previous year and exceeded 10,000 courses in North America. More and more technicians are trained in basic safety training (BST) that includes first aid, manual handling, fire awareness and working at heights.

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Additionally, growth is seen in basic technical training (BTT) and advanced rescue training (ART). BTT covers safe working activities in relation to the mechanical, electrical and hydraulic components of a wind turbine, while ART enables technicians to perform up-tower rescue in the nacelle, tower, hub, spinner and inside the blade using industrystandard rescue equipment.

Comparing 2019 to 2020, completed BTT courses grew by 24% across North America, while the number of ART courses completed rose by an amazing 600% — illustrating how the standard created by GWO members met an industry need for up-tower rescue.

WINDPOWER ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT // 2022 RENEWABLE ENERGY HANDBOOK

Technicians with certifications in all three GWO standards (BST, BTT and ART) can save employers approximately three weeks of entry level training, allowing them to perform safely and effectively on wind turbines.

An additional benefit of GWO standard training for employers is that certificates for completed courses are uploaded to WINDA, the global wind industry training records database.

Employers can use the database to verify certifications of employees and contractors who have finished GWOcertified training courses, essentially making the hiring and onboarding more efficient and effective.

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