Safety equipment is the turbine owner's responsibility

The turbine owner is responsible for ensuring that the safety equipment used by personnel working the towers is always maintained and in perfect working order.

"But we get the impression that a number of turbine owners are not aware that such items as Work Cages/Service Lifts must be inspected, tested and approved once annually to fulfil safety requirements," states Kent Pedersen, General Manager for Avanti Wind Systems in the USA.

The law says that the owner must keep a certification journal with dates of the latest inspection and which describes the inspection and testing of all safety equipment in the turbine tower in detail. The certification journal must always be present when the authorities perform a check.

There is some difference in legislation from state to state in the USA, but in general the requirements for maintenance are the same. And it will always be the owner's responsibility to ensure that safety equipment works and is regularly tested and maintained.

"The owner is also responsible for ensuring that the personnel working in the towers are trained to use the safety equipment, and that their training is kept up to date," adds Pedersen.

Avanti Wind Systems sells and installs service lifts and ladder systems with fall safety equipment in wind turbine towers. Avanti also runs safety courses for technicians.

"All turbine owners naturally accept that the equipment in towers has to be correctly installed by authorised personnel. But a wind turbine tower is also a place of work, and in contrast to most other places of work, turbine owners often forget that safety equipment has to be regularly tested - and that must be done by authorised personnel," says Pedersen.

Avanti Wind Systems' warranty for lifts and ladders also requires test and inspection at least once per year by Avanti or personnel trained by Avanti.

"Safety in wind turbine towers always has top priority at Avanti. That's why it's always important to us that turbine owners know their responsibilities." concludes Pedersen.