A new UK industry group called SafetyOn is launching to highlight the importance of health and safety in the onshore wind sector.
Not-for-profit SafetyOn brings together developers, health and safety experts, regulators and supply chain organisations across the UK onshore wind sector.
It is facilitated by the Energy Institute, which is providing the project management and secretariat for the group.
SafetyOn will provide visibility about the sector’s health and safety performance, as well as assist industry stakeholders to ensure emerging risks are mitigated through co-operation and shared learning.
The primary objective for 2019 is to develop a means of collecting data and carry out statistical analysis of industry trends to drive empirical decision making in areas of health and safety improvement.
Other programmes include switchgear safety in the wind industry, integrated onshore emergency response and working under suspended loads.
The group will be officially unveiled today at the RenewableUK Wind and Emergency Response 2019 Conference in Birmingham.
The founding members are: Banks Renewables, EDF Renewables, Eon Climate & Renewables UK, Enercon Services UK, Energy Institute, Fred Olsen Renewables, GE Energy (UK), Innogy Renewables UK, Natural Power, Nordex Acciona Windpower, Renewable Energy Systems, RenewableUK, Senvion UK, Siemens Gamesa, SSE Renewables, ScottishPower Renewables, Vattenfall UK, Ventient Energy and Vestas Celtic Wind Technology.
Energy Institute chief executive Louise Kingham said: “With thousands of people employed in the UK’s onshore wind industry, SafetyOn is playing a part in making sure they return home safe.
“As a global partner to the energy industry, the EI is pleased to support the work of SafetyOn in ensuring inclusivity across the whole sector using its tested collaboration model, working in partnership with the HSE and other regulators to uphold safe and responsible operations.”
SafetyOn chair and ScottishPower Renewables chief executive Lindsay McQuade (pictured) said: “The onshore wind sector is a story of success in the UK – its delivered investment of £35bn, employs thousands and underpins the UK’s position as a leader in decarbonisation.
“With that success comes responsibility to ensure that every single employee has a safe and healthy working environment. I’m delighted to see the industry coming together to form SafetyOn to support this ambition.
“Over the next year I will be working with industry leaders to ensure that the message of health and safety is at the heart of the onshore wind renewable industry.”