Helping Canada’s wind energy industry to achieve excellence in occupational health and safety is a key strategic objective of CanWEA. This effort is being led by our Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committee. The OH&S Committee works collaboratively to provide solutions to health and safety concerns specific to the wind industry in Canada.
Canada’s wind generation capacity has increased by 18 per cent every year for the past five years, and new installations are being constructed at a fast pace. CanWEA is working with health and safety professionals from across the industry to ensure we are doing our utmost to protect the well-being of everyone at or near these sophisticated power plants.
CanWEA’s O&M Caucus is forging a consensus on critical health and safety best practices. These provide a framework for advancing safe practices for the individual in the workforce and setting a culture of safety at wind energy sites in Canada. We compile the most recent research and information, share procedures, collaborate on best practices documents, and recognize the best companies achieving health and safety excellence, all with the goal of striving to improve the performance and safety of Canadian wind farms year after year.
Below is our featured list of available resources, some publicly available, and others available only to members.
Best Practices for Health and Safety
The Best Practices for Mobile Crane Safety in Wind Energy Operations were developed by stakeholders from across disciplines to provide wind farm site staff with a set of guidelines for safe execution of mobile crane operations in Canada. The resource is aimed at equipping wind turbine technicians, site managers, health and safety specialists and directors with useful information to spur further development and collaboration in state-of-the-industry thinking.
The CanWEA Operations and Maintenance Caucus developed Best Practices for Wind Power Facility Electrical Safety to assist with the safe operation and maintenance of wind power generation facility electrical systems. The document contains a range of resources for wind farm owners, operators, equipment manufacturers, and service providers. While the contents are widely applicable to the global wind industry, the CanWEA Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OH&S) took the opportunity to create a home-grown initiative addressing this important topic from a Canadian perspective.
CanWEA developed the Best Practices for Wind Farm Icing and Cold Climate Health and Safety to provide a tool to the industry that assists with the management of operations and maintenance health and safety at wind farms in cold climate areas. This will enhance confidence to those operating wind turbines and indirectly promote wind power progress in Canada and other cold climate regions. The guide is the result of collaboration from the Icing and Cold Climate Safety Sub-Committee among others, combining established practices, research and original material.
While the best practices were developed by Canadian operators, for Canadian operators, CanWEA is taking an international leadership role in this area. With very few if any resources of this type available globally, CanWEA is excited to contribute to the advancement of wind farm safety around the world.
First Responder Awareness
Electrical Safety Awareness for First Responders – This pamphlet was created to help first responders understand electrical hazards that may be present at a wind power facility. It provides key information on potential injuries, role of the wind farm staff, expectations of first responders, and key facts. Download the electrical safety pamphlet and distribute to the emergency response services in your region.
- Suspension Trauma Awareness for First Responders – This pamphlet discusses potential suspension trauma risks on a wind farm and helps in the coordination of rescue plans in the event of a fall. Download the suspension trauma pamphlet and distribute to the emergency medical services in your region.
Hydraulic Injection Awareness for First Responders – This pamphlet will help to raise awareness about the severity of hydraulic injection injuries and could help to prevent misdiagnosis. This is important for on-site staff, first responders and hospital staff alike. Download the hydraulic injection pamphlet and print, email or otherwise distribute this pamphlet to the emergency medical services in your region.
Ergonomics (Members Only)
- Wind Energy Ergonomics: A Gap Analysis & Future Needs for Wind Turbine Service Technicians – Wind turbine service technicians work hard every day to maintain Canada’s fleet of wind turbines to ensure a reliable supply of clean electricity to our communities. In support of these hard working individuals, CanWEA commissioned Human Factors North to complete a gap analysis and needs assessment targeting specific tasks and environments that have the greatest potential for ergonomic improvements. The report provides references to areas of existing study as well as body positions and processes where more research could improve the health and safety of today’s workforce.
To gain access to the full document, become a CanWEA member.
Fall Protection (Members Only)
- Key changes from CSA Z259.11-05 to -17 Energy Absorbers and Lanyards – CanWEA Committees strive to be up to date on the latest changes in standards and regulations. This brief highlights a few of the changes in the CSA Z259.11 standard that are most relevant to the wind industry.
To gain access to the full document, become a CanWEA member.
Service Lifts (Members Only)
- CanWEA Position Letter – ASME A17.8CSA B44.8-16 Standard for Wind Turbine Tower Elevators – This position letter was provided to CSA and the Association of Provincial Chief Elevator Inspectors along with a presentation to offer these regulating bodies essential information from the wind industry to support decision making and potential regulatory developments.
To gain access to the full document, become a CanWEA member.
Confined Space (Members Only)
- Confined Space Decision Tree - Safety is the primary goal of this Excel-based tool. Users can look up the area of the turbine they are interested in, consider the type of work that will be performed and select from the list of hazards and controls compiled by industry experts. A quick reference legislation table is also provided for consideration of provincial regulatory differences.
To gain access to the full document, become a CanWEA member.
Substance Abuse (Members Only)
- Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis: Resource Guide – The potential for substance abuse is important for everyone to be aware of regardless of the workplace. This guide serves as a concise collection of public resources on substance abuse awareness and management strategies with a focus on Cannabis as compiled by wind industry health and safety experts.
To gain access to the full document, become a CanWEA member.
Photo courtesy of the Wind Energy Institute of Canada