Case study on reducing manual handling and ergonomics related incidents in the offshore wind industry

Overview:

This document provides support and practical examples to help reduce MH&E related incidents in the offshore wind industry. The requirement for support and guidelines to reduce MH incidents in the offshore wind industry originates from:

• Reporting that indicates that MH injuries are one of the largest causes of lost working day incidents within the offshore wind industry.
• The fact that MH tasks potentially involve handling very heavy items (often as team handling operations).
• The nature of working conditions that increase MH risks, e.g. working in restricted space within the asset, dragging bags/items onboard crew transfer vessels (CTV) and working in adverse environmental conditions.
• The fact that the offshore wind industry is expanding, creating a larger workforce and therefore more opportunities for incidents to occur.

The primary audience for this document are those involved in the design, specification and procurement of both offshore and onshore renewable assets. Those involved with the assessment and management of health and safety at work, namely managers, and health and safety (H&S) specialists, may also find the task-based scenarios of particular interest.

The case study is based on analysis of offshore wind industry incidents, assessment of a sample of offshore wind industry activities, a systematic review of regulatory requirements, observation of good practice and stakeholder engagement, including peer review by G+ members.