New Standard Project to Protect Workers in Wind Generation Construction Operations

March 6, 2009
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced a new A10 Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) standard project to protect the safety and health of workers involved in construction and demolition operations for wind generation/turbine facilities.

ASSE recognized a need for the standard, named the American National Standard for the Safe Construction and Demolition of Wind Generation/Turbine Facilities (A10.21-20xx), in part due to increasing green energy development and the potential risks involved in construction operations relating to green energy initiatives.

“The committee decided to develop this standard because of the national emphasis on green energy, recognizing that thousands of these ‘green’ structures are going to be built and as such present challenging safety and health issues,” A10 Committee Chair Richard King said. “The purpose of the new standard is to sort out the safety and health issues and provide practical solutions to constructors.”

During the January 2009 A10 ASC meeting, the committee approved the A10.21 subgroup to develop the standard. Ryan J. Jacobson, manager of wind energy services for Black & Veatch, will serve as the subgroup chair and Walter A. Jones, the associate director of occupational safety and health for Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America, will serve as the A10.21 liaison.

Safety Concerns

Safety and health issues of concern during construction and demolition of wind generation/turbine facilities include working at heights, mechanical assembly of large components, medium voltage electrical safety and working in exposed environments. The subgroup will cite and recognize other existing voluntary national consensus standards in the development process.

In addition, major construction tasks in a wind project that will be considered include:

  • Wind turbine assembly and erection;
  • Civil construction (roads and pad clearing);
  • Structural construction (foundations);
  • Placement of electrical collection system (buried medium voltage lines); and
  • Substation and transmission line construction.

The subgroup also will discuss the following activities:

  • Wind turbine generator component offloading;
  • Site staging;
  • Base tower section placement, which could include anchor bolt tensioning, leveling and grouting;
  • Tower assembly;
  • Nacelle placement;
  • Rotor assembly (typically on the ground);
  • Rotor placement; and
  • Mechanical completion and commissioning.

ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 standards serve as guides to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

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