If you are interested in learning more about this topic, find more information here http://bit.ly/hse-offshore

1. Harmonised HSE standards for the offshore wind
power industry
Introduction
The offshore wind energy industry can still be considered a fledgling industry, and
as such there is little experience to draw on in relation to health and safety. The
specific environment that an offshore wind farm presents requires its own dedicated
health and safety standards. Furthermore the industry is set to grow substantially in
the coming decades, so the development of health and safety procedures will need
to be an ongoing process to ensure that best practice is consistently carried out,
and standards do not become quickly out-dated.
Health and safety regulations impact on everyone involved in an offshore wind farm
project including developers, manufacturers, suppliers, consultants and employees.
With so many contributors, from several different countries involved in any one
project, a harmonised health and safety standard across the industry is widely
accepted as a necessary step in the development of wind power as Europe’s
prominent energy source.
In the current climate, each country that has offshore wind farms within its waters
has its own regulatory authority, which sets out its own regulations and
requirements. There is a desire amongst the executive bodies to communicate and
develop an agreed standard throughout Europe, and several studies have been
undertaken to collate data in respect of offshore incidents and issues to aid that
process.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de

2. Source: REPower
General health and safety legislation and legal requirements
Some of the general health and safety laws which can be applied to the offshore
wind power industry are detailed in this section, although none are specifically
written for the industry (1). In practice, workers on offshore wind farms are more
likely to follow the regulations set out by the company by which they are
contracted.
The Energy Act (LOV 1990-06-29 nr 50: Act on the generation, transmission,
trading, distribution and use of energy etc). The act is applicable to electrical energy
and its generation, transmission, trading and distribution on land to ensure that the
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de

3. activities are undertaken in a socially efficient manner. Much of the act regards the
applications and issuing of licences for the development of electrical equipment. In
this respect it may affect the offshore wind industry, although little pertains directly
to health and safety.
The Ocean Energy Act (LOV 2010-06-04 nr 21: Act on renewable energy production
at sea) came into force in June 2010, and is applicable to the utilization of
renewable energy at sea; including wind, waves and tides. It also regulates the
conversion and transmission of electrical energy offshore. The main purpose of the
act is to facilitate the use of these resources in line with social objectives, and to
ensure that any offshore installations are planned, constructed and disposed of in
the interests of the environment, energy, and business. One requirement is that the
installation, the operation, and the decommissioning of offshore energy plants
should be such that “a high level of health and safety” can be maintained and
developed in accordance with technological advances.
IEC 88/379/NP: Standard for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines: The new proposal
was first issued in October 2010, since when the title has been changed from
‘Standard’ to ‘Technical Specification’. While it is still only a draft, the proposal
includes guidelines for floating offshore wind turbines using design concepts such as
spar buoys, tension leg platforms, barges, and mooring systems. The aim of the
specification is to “provide an appropriate level of protection against damage from
all hazards during the planned lifetime”. It defines in detail the “principles, technical
requirements and assessment procedures for the design, installation, and
maintenance of floating offshore wind turbines”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de

4. Other legislation that could concern offshore wind power in relation to health and
safety would include the Employment Protection Act, and possibly the Pollution Act.
Specific health and safety standards for offshore environments
The RenewableUK organisation, which was formerly known as the BWEA, has
developed the Wind Turbine Safety Rules (WTSR) (2). These standards were initially
developed by wind farm owners and operators with the intention of introducing a
formal safety standard for the systems of work on operational wind farms. Although
these rules are not legally binding, RenewableUK works closely with the Crown
Estate, with the Round 3 development of UK offshore in mind, and earlier this year
invited tenders for the drafting of new guidelines covering ‘Offshore Wind and
Marine health and Safety’.
The WTSR are designed to provide industry good practice for safeguarding
employees from the dangers of installed electrical and mechanical equipment in
wind turbines; to assist in the development and application of consistent safe
systems of work; and to assist with a robust approach to the legal compliance with
relevant health and safety regulations.
The WTSR have been in operation since 2005 and have been successfully used on
over 100 wind farms across the UK and Ireland. They are intended to be used as a
reference by a competent person and implemented alongside their organisations
own health and safety management systems; taking into account the specific site
and turbine conditions, along with any other relevant circumstances.
The safety rules are split into two sections as shown by the diagram below. The
High Voltage infrastructure is one section, the other being the wind turbine, the
plant, and its associated low voltage infrastructure.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de

5. The WTSR require AWP’s (Approved Written Procedures) to be in place for any type
of work deemed significant enough to warrant it. An AWP is similar to a method
statement, and specifies how the work should be carried out and what precautions
and safety measures should be taken to protect the employee during the course of
the work. It also contains sign off procedures to prove that these precautions were
taken, and the rules include guidelines as to what type of work should require an
AWP.
Want to learn more about health and safety standards for the offshore wind
power industry?
Visit our download centre for more articles, white papers and interviews:
http://bit.ly/hse-offshore
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de

6. References
(1) http://www.sintef.no/upload/Teknologi_og_samfunn/Sikkerhet%20og%20p%
C3%A5litelighet/Final%20report%20HSE%20challenges%20offshore%20rene
wable%20energy.pdf
(2) http://www.bwea.com/safety/safety_rules.html
(3) http://www.ens.dk/en-US/OilAndGas/Health_and_Safety/Sider/Forside.aspx
(4) http://www.renewable-uk.com/events/health-safety-conference/pdf/2011-
Presentations/Hansen.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de