Wind Turbine Rescue Safety   

The wind energy industry is growing significantly and safety concerns continue to rise, particularly with regard to climbing techniques and potential rescue situations. Does your organization have a documented fall protection and rescue plan that is effective for all potential emergency situations?

Wind Turbine Rescue Safety Courses should include comprehensive prevention and fall protection program designed around various rescue scenarios that may occur within a wind turbine. Wind turbine technicians can face many unique challenges when performing a rescue, including confined spaces, electrical hazards, varying platforms and ladder systems, fires, and more.

Rescues in wind turbines can be complicated. Although some wind project sites may be a few acres in size with a dozen or two towers, there are many wind sites that cover hundreds of acres and may have several hundred towers. More often than not, the wind sites are in rural regions that are often difficult to access because of distance, terrain, and climatic conditions.

Rescue operations in wind turbines require specific applications of high angle techniques. The heights of the wind turbines are generally around 300 feet, although some new technology systems can be as high as 350 or more feet. Among the most frequent emergency situations requiring rescue operations are entrapment of persons somewhere inside the nacelle, sudden illness, or falls inside or outside of the towers with victims suspended by their harnesses.

A wind turbine rescue course should provide technicians with the skills and information necessary to safely access and work at height on wind turbines. Technicians should be trained in the use, care and selection of personal fall protection equipment and installed fall protection systems plus the use of emergency rescue and evacuation devices.

A wind turbine rescue course goals should include:

• Recognize the risks involved under safe work at height
• Know responsibilities under safe work at height
• Grasp the fall protection principles and use them correctly
• Become skilled at emergency response techniques
• Define, identify and describe the risks involved when working on a wind turbine
• Explain and demonstrate your responsibilities while working at height
• Define and demonstrate fall protection principles and correct use of Personal Fall Protection
• Demonstrate emergency response techniques - Rescues and Evacuation
• Define Health and Safety governing body regulations 

Gemini Energy Services is the premier independent service provider to the wind industry.  Safety is not just a philosophy at Gemini; it's our defining characteristic.  Whether Gemini technicians are driving to the project site or working on energized equipment in the hub, we strive for zero injuries.  Our proactive safety initiatives, which incorporate safety indoctrination, tailgate safety meetings, ongoing Personal Qualification Standards (PQS), a safety incentive program and completion of thorough Job Site Assessments, have resulted in an unblemished safety record.  We are confident that our colleagues in the wind industry share our commitment to safety and a zero-injury workplace.