BayWa is phasing a return to high voltage operations in Scotland following their suspension in the aftermath of a 33kV flashover event at the Tom nan Clach wind farm that seriously injured a technician.
In a safety alert, the company said it will be implementing “mechanical interlock” safeguarding systems on higher risk sites after an investigation into the accident found it had been caused by the site’s “Site Nominated Competent Person (HV Controller for the site)… setting the contractor to work on the incorrect apparatus”.
The company had been carrying out maintenance work at the 39MW Greencoat UK wind farm and was not the HV controller, and said the company’s initial return to high voltage work will focus only completing G59 resets and single feed switching operations.
It said in the alert issued through the onshore wind industry’s health and safety organisation SafetyOn that it intended to return to multi-feed switching operations by the end of July but this would be dependent on site-specific risk assessments.
These would aim to identify needs for improved signage and labelling to remove risks of “behavioural error”.
It added that in some cases where risk assessments identified mechanical locks that could not be immediately fitted as necessary, full substation isolation may be needed “to remove the risk from multiple equipment types of the same design so work can continue until locks are fitted”.
BayWa said it had checked both its own and third party HV safety rules and made a change to its process which would prevent a similar incident from occurring under its rules.
It also said it had increased administrative control through the process “whereby transfer and suspension of works is mandated when multiple feed switching operations are to take place”.
A full review of HV risk was also undertaken together with a professional Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) consultant.
The alert added that as the incident was currently being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive BayWa was unable to share any further information.
BayWa r.e. Operation Services MD Natasha Kumar told reNEWS: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment further on an active investigation or on any other entities involved.
“Our focus is on the wellbeing and recovery of our employee who we are pleased is in a stable condition.”
Natural Power provides management services to the wind farm and issued an initial alert about the high voltage flashover through SafetyOn last week.
The company’s health, safety, environment and quality director David Armour confirmed to reNEWS that it was working with the HSE, BayWa and the client “to investigate how the incident occurred and to ensure that all measures are put in place to prevent any incidents of this kind from happening in the future.”
He added: “To echo the words of BayWa, the safety of all personnel on sites is of upmost importance to us and our thoughts and hopes for a speedy recovery go out to the contractor involved.”
The Health and Safety Executive says it is aware of the incident and is investigating.