Safety performance in the offshore renewable energy industry

The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has written to a number of trade bodies representing the offshore renewable energy industry, including IMCA, expressing concern “that in some sectors of the wind energy industry, improvements in health and safety performance has at best stalled if not reversed.  In 2020, there have been a number of serious incidents both in the UK and elsewhere which could indicate that any reversal may continue.”

IMCA agrees that there is a renewed need to ensure that all organisations and individuals provide the necessary leadership to ensure health and safety remains a priority in the offshore renewable energy industry.

Actions

The HSE seeks to encourage companies operating in the offshore renewable energy industry to ensure that:

• “Work equipment subject to statutory inspection regimes is in a safe condition and arrangements are in place to ensure all inspections are now being carried out;
• Arrangements are in place to ensure new entrants into the industry are provided with suitable information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure they work safely;
• During this period where social distancing measures are required and thereafter, suitable arrangements for monitoring and auditing performance are provided;
• Well publicised cost-reductions or other pressures do not lead to compromises in health and safety. In particular work is planned to ensure that revised deadlines are realistically achievable in practice and do not lead to work being conducted in poor weather or environmental conditions;
• Emergency response arrangements are provided, fully and regularly tested with lessons learnt incorporated;
• Arrangements are in place to monitor factors including fatigue and personal circumstances to ensure individual well-being; and
• Incidents, cases of ill-health, dangerous occurrences and safety observations are properly reported, investigated and where necessary steps taken to prevent recurrence.”

The full text of the letter from Trevor Johnson, HM Principal Inspector of Health and Safety, can be found here.

IMCA works closely with the offshore renewable energy industry and with the trade bodies representing that industry, to share safety incidents, learnings, and actions.

IMCA Safety Flashes are available for all and the incident database is fully searchable. Please feel free to review incidents shared by our members on the following topics relating to the offshore renewable energy industry:

• Crew transfer vessels
• Wind farms
• Turbine towers
• Workboats