Fresh Wind Turbine Safety Rules For Workers

By Brenda Meyer


Workers around turbines face such daunting challenges as arch flash, confined spaces, electrical hazards and respiratory protection, among others. The environment is delicate because of the heights involved and the presence of moving blades. This is why Wind Turbine Safety rules have been developed and must be followed by workers and visitors to such an area. Here are some of the rules.

Trained personnel must be at the site whenever any activity is going on. This includes routine maintenance and servicing of turbines. In fact, it should be a standard procedure to train all employees and workers on first aid. This ensures that you do not have to wait for emergency response whenever a mishap happens. Equip the team with the right tools in the first aid kit to handle falls, electrocution and other injuries that might happen.

Regular assessment of safety levels of the site needs to be conducted by professionals on regular basis. The work involves evaluation of the strength of moving parts, high areas and safety of wiring. Metallic surfaces should also be surveyed to ensure that rust does not weaken them. Assess the risks whenever you are carrying out a service or maintenance procedure. Put measures in place to minimize risks before the project commences.

Personal safety equipment must be provided to all workers and visitors to the site. Every worker or visitor is exposed to falling or having dropping objects fall on him. Considering that the plants generate electricity, the danger of electrocution must be forestalled. The equipment to be provided include gloves, helmets and arrest lanyards, among others. Vests and footwear must also be provided.

Test all equipment and tools that are used on site. This begins by ensuring that they are obtained from a reliable supplier. Weak tools expose users to injuries. Check the integrity of electric hoists, ladders, fall arrest protection systems, elevators and pulleys or cranes, among many others. Any weakness on these equipment will cause danger during work.

Monitor the weather actively and frequently. The height of turbines means that they can easily be affected by lightening. Workers on top of turbines face the danger of strong winds. Such exposure is dangerous and could lead to fatal accidents. Property within the surrounding will also be damaged in case of a mishap. Do not expose your workers during story weather.

Installation within the plant must be maintained properly. This will protect visitors, employees and workers on site from broken pillars falling, blades and falls from heights. Rusty areas need proper attention as well as moving parts. This requires routine maintenance and being a keen observer of all areas. A little oversight can lead to a massive disaster.

The health of all workers and employees at the plant should be monitored and maintained at optimum. A person who is weak of body should not be allowed to climb up the turbines. If a worker is phobic of heights or enclosed places, he should also not be allowed around the area. Working hours and intensity of work also need to be monitored to avoid exposing workers to fatigue which is equally dangerous.




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