G+ continues to work on a variety of topics to bring the offshore wind industry together and drive health and safety performance in the industry. Standing workstreams on communications, health and safety incident data collection, Toolbox, internationalisation, and Safe by Design workshops continue in 2022. Further, the work programme for 2022 includes workstreams on steel fabrication yards, lifting, manual handling, CTV vessel vetting standards, electrical safety, personnel transfer, emergency response and lifesaving rules for the offshore wind industry.

Improving safety of steel fabrication

With fabrication of transition pieces and foundations, the steel fabrication industry contributes significantly to the wind sector. G+ member data has highlighted potential concerns around the safety and reporting culture at steel fabrication yards in Europe. With expansion to newer regions and differing H&S standards, this could lead to an increasing number of incidents being suffered by contractors.

In 2022, G+ has a workstream on the topic to investigate how the steel industry can be further integrated into the safety culture of G+ members. The topic was also discussed at this year’s G+ Stakeholder Forum, highlighting the need for clear guidance for the wind industry which addresses safety management systems and their implementation as well as cultural and behavioural aspects.

Lifting

G+ incident data indicates lifting as a main work process per number of reported incidents in 2020. However, no obvious focus topics directly emerged from the G+ incident data. To identify suitable focus areas, a call was scheduled with members of G+ and IMCA which revealed that most incidents occur during routine low complexity lifts, where the quality of the lift plan and competency of the team is low.

A G+ workstream in 2022 aims to produce a set of case studies on different types of lifts which draws on IMCA guidelines for lifting operations and includes learnings from real life incidents. Focus topics include competence, familiarity, complacency and accountability. The illustrated case studies are meant to reach workers who are at the sharp end of carrying out lifts and make them aware of the potential issues during a routine lift.

Manual Handling

For a few years, G+ data has consistently shown high incident numbers for manual handling. Despite work by G+ to mitigate injuries, manual handling continues to be one of the top 3 injury causes. A critical task analysis conducted as part of the research on physical fitness standards for offshore wind technicians by the University of Portsmouth classified manual handling as one of the most physically demanding and frequent set job tasks for offshore wind technicians.

In 2022, G+ plans to develop a video campaign directed at technicians that highlights the risks of manual handling and demonstrates best operating procedures for manual handling tasks. The content of the videos is informed by G+ incident data and results from the ongoing G+ workstream on physical fitness standards for offshore wind technicians.

CTV Vessel vetting standards

In 2021, the G+ started a workstream to look into improvements to the safety of the CTV sector. For 2022, this work is expanded by a workstream on vessel vetting standards which aims to harmonise requirements and investigate the vessel vetting regime. The Good Practice Guideline for CTVs would be revised based on agreed global standards, lessons learned and regulatory as well as industry developments, linking it to the work of the 2021 CTV workstream.

Electrical safety

In September 2021 G+ held an Electrical Safety Workshop on Arc Flash Labelling & Safe System of Work, for the US, at which participants identified the need to clarify labelling content and placement as well as analysis and study process carried out before labelling.

In 2022, G+ aims to develop an arc flash labelling framework to be employed by developers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), owners, and national safety authorities. G+ will serve as a champion for communicating this framework to these and other industry stakeholders will help to facilitate consistent adoption and implementation.

Personnel transfer

For several years, G+ has discussed whether transfer by man-riding baskets should be allowed in the offshore wind industry. During construction, a few offshore wind projects have recently had to use basket transfer in exceptional circumstances. Due to the increase in scale of foundations and WTGs there is increasing pressure on the technical capability/availability of safe personnel transfer methods

A G+ workstream in 2022 aims to ascertain the most suitable forms of personnel transfer for different types of projects and to create a hierarchy, based on the different environments, using a risk-based approach. The workstream will involve international regulators and the offshore wind contracting community.

Emergency response

In this workstream, G+ supports HM Coastguard in the UK to hold a multi-agency emergency planning exercise to take place in May 2022. Planned collaboratively between industry, international regulators and emergency services, the exercise is backed by the UK Health and Safety Executive and supported by G+ member companies.

The exercise aims to test industry and emergency arrangements and procedures in repose to a significant offshore renewables emergency. Insights from the exercise can inform good practice, policy and emergency preparedness going forward.

Lifesaving rules for offshore wind 

G+ is developing a common set of Lifesaving Rules for the offshore wind industry. The G+ set of rules aims to bring the offshore wind industry together and guide new joiners as well as those who do not yet have lifesaving rules in place.

The G+ rules are drafted based on a comparison of current lifesaving rules from G+ members and associates, lifesaving rules from other industries and G+ incident data. The rules are formulated to be lifesaving and specific to the risks of the offshore wind industry.