SafetyOn Chain Hoist workshop attendees
SafetyOn’s Safe by Design programme - a key role in continually improving safety of the Onshore wind industry
SafetyOn’s Safe by Design (SbD) programme brings experts together for the purpose of getting the best practice in health and safety into design. Specific topics, which are identified as high risk by the SafetyOn incident data, input from members and wider industry consultation, are investigated with the objective of making improvements at the design stage that will help to reduce incidents throughout the lifecycle of an onshore wind farm.
Within twelve months SafetyOn held two SbD workshops focused on examining design of chain hoists and ancillary equipment, lift plans, permits and controls, and training and competency across industry. The second workshop assessed the hazards and management of risks relating to ice fall and throw in onshore wind. Two further workshops are planned for October 2024.
The workshops identified hazards, proposed design-based risk reduction measures, and facilitated knowledge exchange among participants to inform industry recommendations. The key findings from the workshops are a set of prioritised recommendations that are considered viable options to manage risk in the industry. The recommendations include consideration for design innovation along with selection and use of new equipment which are in alignment with the theme of SbD.
Additional observations about the approach to SbD, novel ideas raised during the workshops, good practice approaches to risk management, and adoption of new technologies are discussed at these workshops. A section on looking ahead, and what the industry should focus on for future work to further enhance safety is presented.
These workshops were attended by over 100 members and key stakeholders including the HSE and the G+. The workshops are driven by members and stakeholders providing their expertise and experience and collaborating to achieve a proactive approach to designing products, processes, or systems with safety as a primary consideration from the outset. As a result of the SbD programme, the latest SafetyOn incident data, for example, shows a decline in incidents as a result of chain hoists by 18%. SafetyOn’s goal is to continuously strive to improve the safety of the onshore wind industry in the UK, and the Safe by Design program is playing a key part in this.
The SbD reports are freely available to download from the SafetyOn website