Specialist technology partnership for safer wind energy working
Two experts have partnered up in a bid to improve safety for workers in various energy sectors, but particularly for the offshore wind industry.
Expert in dropped objects (drops) prevention, Dropsafe, has signed a distribution deal with Real Safety, a fast-growing Danish company specialising in anti-slip solutions for the offshore sector.
This partnership will bring greater access to Dropsafe’s products to the offshore energy industry in Scandinavia, including offshore wind and oil & gas. Users of Dropsafe’s corrosion resistant polymer barrier system and advanced steel mesh nets and pouches will benefit from increased technical support and reduced delivery times.
As the offshore wind industry continues to prove its resilience in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been increased scrutiny on safety. 2019’s incident data from global offshore wind HSE organisation, G+, shows an increase in drops of 44%. Knowledge transfer between offshore energy industries is vital to ensure consistent implementation of drops best practice. As the sector starts to grapple with ageing fleets in the region, demand for high quality and cost-effective drops prevention solutions has risen accordingly.
Offshore wind farm risks
Drops risks identified by owners and operators of wind farms in the North Sea include personnel transfers from vessels, engineering and maintenance activity at height, and component exposure to severe conditions at sea. This weakens structural fixtures and fittings owing to the effects of corrosion. Best practice in this area is to install high quality, corrosion-resistant steel mesh nets around vulnerable objects, preventing falls. Advanced polymer barrier systems should be installed around the transition piece and walkways to prevent objects being pushed through guard railings. Lastly, steel mesh pouches should be used to secure handheld items such as two-way radios.
Why look at offshore wind farm safety now?
Torben Farup Henriksen, Oil, Wind & Gas manager, Real Safety, says: “The North Sea is a key centre of energy production for Europe, so it is crucial for the wind energy and O&G sectors to share knowledge on safety best practice – as is increasingly becoming the norm. As an industry leader, Dropsafe has long recognised the need for a holistic approach to safety, which makes them a natural partner for us.”
Mike Rice, commercial director, Dropsafe, concludes: “The offshore wind industry is continuing its upward trajectory in Scandinavia and the North Sea, complementing the traditional energy sector. Our partnership with Real Safety will bolster our distribution and support network to meet growing demand from owner-operators in North Sea energy, ensuring Drops prevention solutions are easily accessible across the region. Awareness of Drops risks in this field has surged in in the past few years, but there’s always more to be done in the journey towards a ‘zero harm’ industry.”
