G+, a global health and safety organization for the offshore wind industry, has compiled much-needed safety recommendations for wind-farm owners and operators on the risks posed by dropped objects: the Reliable Securing Booklet for Offshore Wind.
Download the report here.
Publication of the reliable securing guidelines has come off the back of 2018 safety statistics released by G+, which demonstrate a 60% reduction in dropped object incidents on offshore wind farms compared to 2017. This highlights an increasingly diligent response to the risks posed by dropped objects, but the industry still has a long way to go in adopting best practice prevention systems.
Dropsafe, a global provider in dropped object prevention, attests that the G+ reliable securing guidelines will address a long-standing gap in industry safety. They inform sector decision-makers of the dropped object risks and prevention systems for offshore wind.
“The G+ guidelines for the first time lay out a clear, practical pathway for offshore wind asset owners regarding the precautions they should be taking against dropped objects,” said Mike Rice, Commercial Director, Dropsafe. “It is essential that these guidelines are adopted if asset owners are to keep their employees safe and operate their offshore wind farms cost effectively.”
Dropped objects – including loose fixtures to dropped handheld tools and equipment – pose a threat to the safety of personnel, integrity of equipment, financial performance, and the reputation of offshore wind stakeholders. In Dropsafe’s 2018 whitepaper, The Neglected Hazard, it was outlined that for the offshore wind industry to maintain its fast growth rate, it must be able to show that project sites are safe places to work.
The G+ reliable securing guidelines recommend the use of dropped object prevention technology, including barrier systems, tethering nets and pouches, to mitigate the potential risks of dropped objects. The guidelines are based on those originally developed by safety body DROPS and are a culmination of what has been learned over several years about dropped object risk and prevention strategy in the offshore oil and gas industries.
“As we have learned from other offshore sectors, a good reputation is key for the continued expansion, and it is the responsibility of businesses throughout the offshore wind supply chain to ensure the sector maintains its positive image by demonstrating that it is a safe industry to work in.”
Dropsafe works directly with asset and business owners to supply the technology necessary to mitigate risks. The firm’s product development has actively shaped understanding of best practice for reliable securing across numerous sectors, and this is reflected by the G+ guidelines, which in many cases directly correspond to Dropsafe’s product offering.
Filed Under: News, Safety
