Offshore wind health and safety performance improving

Against a backdrop of growing offshore wind energy capacity, the G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation’s latest report highlights a decrease in the total number of health and safety incidents among its members last year.

The 2018 Incident Data Report found that high potential incidents – defined as having the ability to cause a fatality or a life-changing injury – were down 13% in 2018 compared to 2017.

The report also highlighted that overall there was a 17% decrease in the lost time injury frequency compared to the previous year. While the overall number of hours reduced by 4% in 2018 from 2017, lost time injuries fell more sharply, reflecting improved safety performance. This improved safety performance was further reflected in the 22% decrease in the total recordable injury rate.

The Energy Institute provides the secretariat for G+ and facilitates its work programme.

Commenting on the report, Paul Cowling, G+ Chairman and Managing Director Innogy Renewables UK, said:

"2018 has been a positive year for the G+, as our commitment to improve the health and safety in the offshore wind industry with programmes such as our two yearly Safe By Design workshops, have contributed to our ever improving health and safety performance.

"Our efforts continue to reduce injury frequency, further internationalise the G+ and increase collaboration with other organisations, in promoting our shared goal of improving the health and safety performance of the industry on a global level."

The report outlines that the decrease in total incidents occurred as a result of a number of factors, including an improving safety culture through shared lessons learned, improved industry technologies, a focus of attention across G+ members on high potential hazards and continuous improvement of working methods.

For the first time, the report records incidents by their country of occurrence, enabling country specific feedback.

Also published by G+, in collaboration with Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme (DROPS), is the DROPS Reliable Securing Booklet for Offshore Wind, developed with equipment suppliers and users to help eliminate the risk of dropped objects within the sector.

While dropped object incident rates declined in 2018 by over 60% when compared to 2017, 59% of these incidents were classified as high potential by G+, representing an important threat to safety and underlining the need for industry vigilance.

View the 2018 Incident Data Report at energy-inst.org/IncidentData2018