Wind Farm Health and Safety By Lindani Buthelezi

Introduction

Safety culture

Company values

Policies &

Procedures

Leadership

Learning & Trust

Quality

Working environment

Health and safety in SA Context

• Occupational Health and Safety Act (85 of 1993) • Intentions is to keep people safe

• Provides a guideline for health and safety in the work place

• Provides a detailed guideline on various regulations including, • General safety regulations

• Construction regulations

• General machinery regulations

• Administered and overseen by the department of labour

• Wind farms must comply with the various OHS act regulations as stipulated in the guidelines.

• SA regulations seen to be very strict, comprehensive and covers personnel well.

Safety in Wind

• Pre Constructions phase

• Constructions phase

• Operations and Maintenance phase

• End of life (Decommissioning/ Repowering)

Typical Hazards

FALLS CONFINED SPACES

LOCKOUT/TAGOUT

CRANE & MOBILE

EQUIPMENT

HOIST SAFETY

ELECTRICAL MACHINE GUARDING

CHEMICALS

Pre Constructions Activities

Environmental Considerations

• EIA

• Bird and bat

• Water use

• Noise

• Environmental disturbances

Site Assessment

• Met mast erections

• Maintenance of instruments

Pre Construction Phase Hazards

• Typical hazards such as slips, falls, trips, electrical shock and occupational related risks

• Risk associated with wild animals – mostly for environmental teams

• Bees

• Spiders

• Snakes – SA is known for its poisonous snakes and measures should be in place to ensure employees are safe from these.

Construction Phase

• Construction work definition

• Statutory requirements with DOL

• Construction permits

• Development of site Health and safety processes that are typical in a construction site

• HSE specification

• Safety plans

• Baseline risk assessments

• HSE policies

• Site procedures

• Contractor management

Construction Work Definition

(a) the construction, erection, alteration, renovation, repair, demolition or dismantling of

or addition to a building or any similar structure; or

(b) the construction, erection, maintenance, demolition or dismantling of any bridge,

dam, canal, road, railway, runway, sewer or water reticulation system; or the moving

of earth, clearing

Construction Phase

Statutory requirements

• Construction permit application required if

• Construction work exceeds 365 days and more than 3600 person days of constructing work or

• The tender value limit is grade 7, 8 or 9 of the Construction industry Development Board (CIDB) grading

• Application made to Provincial director within 30 days prior to construction work commencement

• Applicant to fill out Annexure 1 – Application for construction work permit to do construction work

• Notice of construction required for other work that fall under this category. Notice to the DOL to be submitted within 7 days of the work commencement.

Construction Phase Cont..

Responsibilities Client

Consultants

Principal Contractor (Legal appointments)

Subcontractors

Construction HSE HSE specification

•Client specification for providing a baseline

•Safety files

•Main contractor and subcontractor safety oversight

•Safety plans & policies

•Fall protection plans

•Lock out procedures

•Access permits

•Baseline risk assessments

•HSE policies

Environment Material Safety Data Sheets

Disposal process and procedures

Chemical hazard management

Construction Phase Cont.. (Typical Activities)

• Civil Works

• Road construction

• Wind turbine foundations

• Cable trenches

• Electrical works

• Substation constructions

• Mini substation construction

• Wind turbine erection

• Rigging and slinging

• Crane lifting

• Bolting and torquing

Operations and Maintenance

• Risk factor reduces

• Less people on site

• Less high risk work such as

that seen in construction

• Unique operational risk

associated with operational

plants

Operations and Maintenance Cont..

Construction activities (CR)

• Major component replacement

• Civil works and road maintenance

Operational activities (GMR2)

• Preventative maintenance on turbines

• Breakdown maintenance work on wind turbines and electrical infrastructure

• Typical monthly activities includes inspections, review and maintenance records,

Operations and Maintenance (GMR2)

GMR 2.1 Appointment

• Appointment to be a full time appointment and exemption application is required

• Generally the wind industry makes use of 2.7 appointees (assistant to the GMR2.1)

• Both responsible for the correct operation of machinery including lifts, generators, electrical equipment, winches and tools

• Reporting of major incidents as defined in the regulation

Operations and Maintenance (H&S Risks)

• Complacencies may lead to serious injuries or deaths

• Most incidences are related to electrical shock, falls,

• Risk of long-term injuries associated with dust inhalation (blade repair, maintenance work)

• Environmental hazards such as snakes, spiders and other wild animals exists.

• Driving risks (gravel roads)

End of Life (Decommissions/ Repowering)

• Decommissioning or repowering classified as construction

work

• Construction regulations applicable

• Environmental considerations to be full complied with (Site

Rehabilitation)

End of Life Cont.. (Decommissions/ repowering)

Turbine decommissioning activities

• Cranage

• Unbolting tower blades

• Lowering Nacelle

• Unbolting tower sections

• Processing and cutting up turbine components (consideration for scraping of turbines)

• Loading of scrap material on site

Site rehabilitation activities (substation area, wind farm area)

• Cutting and disposal 200-500mm of the top of the concrete foundation

• Removing surface slabs

• Processing of concrete removed and disposal

• Agricultural land to be fully restore to pre construction (vegetation planting etc.)

• Ripping, compacting and placing of top soil in disturbed areas

Incidents on SA Wind Farms

Falling Objects Turbine Fires

Incidents on SA Wind Farms Cont..

Turbine collapse Crane collapse

END THANK YOU!!