Media releases

An industry leader in health and safety, David brings over 25 years of sector experience to the role. Currently Head of Health, Safety and Environment at SSE Renewables, David oversees the safe operational practices of one of Europe’s largest developers of renewable energy generation.

As a G+ Board Director of over five years, David steps up to lead the organisation’s work surrounding the improvement of incident data reporting transparency, good practice guidance and industry workshops. David is supported by Lisbeth Norup Frømling from Ørsted, who will be Vice Chair of G+.

David Griffiths commented:

“As Chair, I am honoured to continue my role within G+ and steer this collaborative body towards a safer future for offshore wind workers.

“While I am immensely proud of the role G+ plays in facilitating a reduction in industry incident rates, we mustn’t become complacent. 2024 brings around a new year with new challenges, and I look forward to driving the vital work of G+.”

Nick Wayth CEng FEI, Chief Executive of the Energy Institute, home of the secretariat for G+, commented:

“As the offshore wind industry continues to grow, G+ has always prided itself upon advancing health and safety standards within the sector to keep up with industry changes.

“With David at the helm, G+ will continue to uphold and elevate safe working standards as this exciting and dynamic sector ever evolves.”

The G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation comprises thirteen leading operators – bp, Corio Generation, EDF Renewables, Equinor, Iberdrola, Northland Power Inc, Ocean Winds, Ørsted, RWE, Siemens Gamesa, SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies and Vattenfall – as well as an expanding array of international associate members.

Setup in partnership with the Energy Institute, G+ works globally to tackle health and safety issues in the industry through four main work programmes: incident data reporting, good practice guidelines, safe by design and learning from incidents.

As part of the drive to ensure lessons learned from these incidents are made freely available, G+ is continuing to make safety incident lessons available through Toolbox, the Energy Institute’s free-to-use incident lessons platform.

With expanding operations and funding in the Asia Pacific and North American regions, G+ is continuing to utilise the lessons learned from high potential incidents that occurred during the early stages of offshore wind in Europe to develop good practice guidelines, in multiple languages, to support safe offshore wind operations in these regions.

G+ will hold their annual Stakeholder Day on Thursday 7 March in Paris, which provides an important forum for discussions regarding health and safety in the offshore wind industry. The day will comprise presentations, breakout groups and networking sessions covering current and future G+ workstreams. To reflect the global nature of the offshore wind industry, it will be preceded by two regional webinars focussing on the Americas and APAC respectively.

Please register to attend here: G+ Stakeholder Forum - in person event | Energy Institute

Notes for editors

1. For media enquiries contact Sophie Shorthose at sshorthose@energyinst.org or 0207 467 7173.
2. G+ is the global health and safety organisation for the offshore wind industry.
   The Energy Institute provides the secretariat and supports the ongoing work of the G+.
   We bring together business leaders, health and safety experts and organizations operating in the offshore wind industry to drive good practice and promote world-class safety performance across the sector.
   Through an evidence based approach, we ensure key emerging risks are mitigated through co-operation and shared learnings, aiming for the highest levels of health and safety standards being pursued throughout the life cycle of offshore wind farms.
   We engage on important industry matters by facilitating discussion and bringing together industry stakeholders to speak with one voice for the offshore wind industry.
3. The Energy Institute (EI) is the chartered professional membership body for people who work across the world of energy.
   Our purpose is creating a better energy future for our members and society by accelerating a just global energy transition to net zero.
   We do this by attracting, developing and equipping the diverse future energy workforce; informing energy decision-making through convening expertise and advice; and enabling industry to make energy lower carbon, safer and more efficient.
4. SSE Renewables is a leading developer and operator of renewable energy generation, headquartered in the UK and Ireland with a growing presence internationally.
   We provide the energy needed today and are building a better world of energy for tomorrow through the world class operation, development and construction of renewable energy assets.