Health & Safety

The Health & Safety Executive have no particular advice relating to wind turbines.

The HSE’s mission statement is 'to ensure that risks to people's health and safety from work activities are properly controlled', a wind turbine would therefore need to be assessed to the findings of a risk assessment. Risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

A risk assessment is carried out to identify the risks to health and safety to any person arising out of, or in connection with, work or the conduct of their undertaking. It should identify how the risks arise and how they impact on those affected. This information is needed to make decisions on how to manage those risks so that the decisions are made in an informed, rational and structured manner, and the action taken is proportionate.

A risk assessment should usually involve identifying the hazards present in any working environment or arising out of commercial activities and work activities, and evaluating the extent of the risks involved, taking into account existing precautions and their effectiveness. In this approved code of practice:

• a hazard is something with the potential to cause harm (this can include articles, substances, plant or machines, methods of work, the working environment and other aspects of work organisation);
• a risk is the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realised. The extent of the risk will depend on:
  • the likelihood of that harm occurring;
  • the potential severity of that harm, i.e. of any resultant injury or adverse health effect;
  • the population which might be affected by the hazard, i.e. the number of people who might be exposed.

We strongly recommend our clients undertake their own Risk Assessment. Our Health & Safety partners would be pleased to advise and complete a site specific Risk Assessment on your behalf.