Wind Turbines

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by George H. Potter on October 8, 2008 at 10:45am

Dennis,

I will try to get something for you from here in Spain. This is Europe's leader in wind energy and I think that the Navarra regional fire service has a training module on this.

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Permalink Reply by Dennis Schultz on October 8, 2008 at 10:54am

Thanks for you help I am having my first meeting with this company today

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Permalink Reply by Brenda Tenney on October 8, 2008 at 4:46pm

Dennis,i live in the south,and i don't think we even have Wind Turbines,I would like to learn more about this,if you get any information on the Wind turbines,and how well they work,let me know..thanks Brenda

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Permalink Reply by G. Douglas Webb on October 14, 2008 at 2:13pm

Dennis, I work for Dominion Generation training Industrial brigades and we have wind turbines in W. Va. I'll see what I can dig up.

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Permalink Reply by Robert A. Siegel on October 19, 2008 at 6:52pm

Hi Dennis
Robert Siegel here from ENSA Access and Rescue. I am part of a team of technical access, rescue instructors, and height safety professionals that write height safety code for the wind and tower industries. We have been involved with the Wind industry since 2005 and members of the American Wind Energy Association and National Association of Tower Erectors as well as other steering commitees like ANSI Z359.1 and National Arial Lifts Association.
Anytime I can be of service or just a good resource give me a call, in response to the confined space question there are many confined spaces in a wind turbine, depending on the manufacturer. As far as Permit Required Confined Space in a wind turbine, the "basement" (some towers have a stairway leading into them from the outside at ground level, under this platform is considered a PRCS on some towers and others fall under the definition of a confined space as they have a
1. Limited entrance and exit by design
2. Unfavorable natural ventilation that could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants
3. Not intended for continuous occupancy
NIOSH definitions
1. An enclosed or partially enclosed work space
2. Limited entrance and exit by design
3. Subject to accumulation of toxic, flammable contaminants
4. May develop oxygen deficiency
5. Not intended for continuous occupancy
OSHA definitions..
and the Hub and Blades of the turbine are considered confined space.
The only time the hub and blade become permit required are when workers introduce the hazardous atmospheres
ENSA writes the emeregency action and rescue plans for many of wind farms in North America as well as the owners, manufacturers, and contractors.
Who ever told you that the crane hoist is something that can be used for rescue, needs to go through some height safety and rescue training ... like yesterday.
the crane hoists are responsible for three accidents involving workers this year, we are on a mission to combat this. The manufacturers of Turbines and Hoists support our safety training for the awareness aspect alone, much less the requirements by legislation.
We at ENSA have been so busy with the workers involved with the wind farms that we have not had time to work with the local municipalities anyone interested in learning more about the training for EMS and First Responders to Wind farms please contact me at rob@ensausa.com.

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Permalink Reply by George H. Potter on October 21, 2008 at 2:49pm

Hello Robert,
I have contacted the Navarra, Spain regional fire service on this. This region has Spain's highest concentration of wind turbines, and was the first area in Spain where turbines were installed, more than 10 years ago. The fire service has developed a series of protocols and SOP's jointly with several of the turbine builders/erectors and works closely with them. There are at least six major builders in Spain, mostly of Spanish national origins; GAMESA and ABENGOA are leaders.
The Chief of the Navarra FD is preparing copies of these documents for me to get them off to Dennis. I mentioned your operation to him and there may well be some areas for mutual cooperation. Let me know if you are interested at georgepot@gmail.com and I'll put them in direct contact with you (if you have a little Spanish).

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Permalink Reply by George H. Potter on October 21, 2008 at 2:56pm

Dennis,

Further on my reply of Oct. 8. The Navarra, Spain region has the country's oldest and most dense wind turbine installations. The regional fire service has been working closely with turbine builders/erectors on the development of emergency protocols and SOP's. They are preparing copies for me to get off to you. Please send me your e.mail and surface mail addresses. The only minor "hitch" is that the whole batch will be in Spanish.

Looking forward to hearing from you. My e.mail is: georgepot@gmail.com

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Permalink Reply by Robert A. Siegel on October 22, 2008 at 10:57am

Hi George,
That would be fantastic, I love to network through out the Wind Communities, Municipalities, and Steering Commities. I am presenting ENSA Height Safety Code at the Canwea convention today, I was suprised that Gamesa was not part of it, although Accionna is representing for the Spanish. Getting off the subject here sorry,
We can speak and write (a little spanish), I am very interested in opening the lines of communication and continuing the active dialogue and correspondence we have begun. Here to serve and happy to help,

Robert A. Siegel

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Permalink Reply by david nadeau on December 3, 2008 at 11:17am

I am a firefighter Lieutenant with a paid on call department with an average of 1300 calls a year with over 17 years and I am on our MUSAR team. And I am safety engineer for a large construction company that builds these large wind turbines all over the country. I work with all the local fire departments that we are building these wind turbines in; I have been trained in the trac-tel system and the g-4 rescue system. If anyone as questions about these wind turbines and how to work with the contractor on any safety issues please feel free to contact me at dnadeau@aristeo.com, you can go to our web site at www.aristeo.com and click on the wind site. And my fire department web site is www.monroetwpfirerescue.com

Thank You
Man saved from Peetz wind tower

An electrical maintenance contractor working on a wind tower here dangled 275 feet off the ground for almost one hour after falling Monday from the nacelle, which is located near the edge of the turbine.

According to Florida Power and Light spokesman Steve Stengel, the contractor works for San Jose, Calif., based Rosendin Electric.

Rosendin Electric did not return a phone call today seeking comment and confirmation of the contractor’s identity.

The wind tower — Tower 114 — is located at county roads 29 and 74 and was recently completed according to Peetz Fire Chief Rick Meier.

The rescue effort was conducted by wind tower site workers trained to handler similar situations, Stengel said.

According to information that reached FPL corporate offices, the contractor, after falling from the top, was suspended by a safety harness he was strapped in.

Peetz and Sterling fire crews, along with sheriff’s deputies and ambulance crews, were also called to respond. Local authorities stood by as backup while in-house rescue efforts were underway, Meier said.

Rescue workers were able to pull the man back to the top of the wind tower near the nacelle, where an opening leads inside the tower itself, where a ladder is situated.

Inside the tower, rescue workers guided the man down the ladder into a waiting ambulance.

“All our folks are trained on how to deal with this,” Stengel said. “The good news is the safety equipment performed as designed.”

As a precaution, local authorities called for a helicopter medical transport in case the medical condition of the contractor warranted an immediate transfer to a nearby hospital.

Meier canceled the helicopter response shortly after emergency medical crews saw no need for it.

The contractor was transported by ambulance to Sterling Regional MedCenter, where he was treated and released the same day.

Stengel said the accident remains under investigation.

By John Mangalonzo
Journal-Advocate staff writer

journal-advocate.com

Attachments:

• T-38 Blade Placement (2).JPG, 3.1 MB
• T-38 Blades Passing over Nacelle GE 1.5MW.JPG, 2.8 MB
• T-38 Blade Placement.MOV, 28 MB

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Permalink Reply by Jodi Baganz on December 4, 2008 at 10:29pm

If you want a tour of one Dennis, give me a call and I will take you up close. My brother has over 100 in his front yard and they are still being built.

JJB

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Permalink Reply by Dennis Schultz on December 5, 2008 at 7:26am

Jodi Baganz said:

If you want a tour of one Dennis, give me a call and I will take you up close. My brother has over 100 in his front yard and they are still being built. JJB

I would be intersted in that

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Permalink Reply by david nadeau on December 9, 2008 at 3:53pm

The Attachment is the GE 1.5 Turbine Hub Entry Procedure

Attachments:

• Wind Turbine Hub Entry.pdf, 340 KB

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