Free for everyone
Safety Book
HSE essentials for wind turbine technicians.
Ten short chapters on the risks the job actually turns on. The same book is in the GoUpTower app, where every chapter has a moving picture and a two-question check, and where it works with no signal at the tower base.
Chapter 1
Working at height
Harness, lanyards and 100% tie-off.
Falls from height are the most serious risk in turbine work. Every climb depends on equipment that is inspected, worn correctly and attached at all times.
- Check harness, lanyards, connectors and fall arrester for cuts, burns, corrosion, deformation and a valid inspection date — every time, before use.
- Stay attached to the fall-arrest rail or cable for the whole climb, and keep three points of contact.
- Move one lanyard tail at a time past an obstacle, so one hook is always attached.
- Carry tools in a bag or on tool lanyards, and close hatches behind you.
Golden rules
- 1100% tie-off — one hook always attached.
- 2Inspect before every use.
- 3Never work at height alone.
Chapter 2
Suspension & rescue
Why minutes matter.
When a fall is arrested the danger is not over. Hanging still in a harness can restrict blood flow and lead to loss of consciousness, so the rescue has to start at once.
- Raise the alarm immediately, with the site, turbine number and level.
- Start the rescue plan straight away — do not wait for the emergency services to reach the top.
- If they can, the casualty should move their legs or stand in foot loops to take weight off the harness.
- Anyone who has hung in a harness needs a medical check, even if they feel fine.
Golden rules
- 1Alarm first, then rescue.
- 2Every suspended person gets checked.
- 3Know the rescue kit before you need it.
Chapter 3
Electrical safety
The five safety rules and LOTO.
Turbines carry high voltage in the converter, transformer and cables. Only authorised people switch or work on electrical systems, and only once the system is proven dead.
- Disconnect completely. Secure against reconnection. Verify the absence of voltage. Earth and short-circuit. Cover nearby live parts.
- Everyone working fits their own personal lock; nobody removes another person's lock.
- Test your voltage tester on a known live source before and after use — live, dead, live.
- Wear the arc-flash PPE the task calls for, and treat every conductor as live until proven dead.
Golden rules
- 1Never work live.
- 2Your lock, your key.
- 3Prove it dead before you touch.
Chapter 4
Rotor lock & moving parts
Stored energy and rotating machinery.
A turbine can turn even when it is not producing power. Rotors, yaw drives and hydraulic systems store energy that can move without warning.
- Stop the turbine and engage the rotor lock following the OEM procedure before entering the hub.
- Never rely on the brake alone to hold the rotor.
- Keep guards in place; if a guard comes off, isolate the machine first.
- Hydraulic accumulators hold pressure after shutdown — depressurise before opening a line.
Golden rules
- 1Rotor lock on before hub entry.
- 2Guard off means machine isolated.
- 3Release stored energy first.
Chapter 5
Permits, RAMS & Stop Work
Plan the job before you do it.
Most incidents start before anyone climbs: an unclear task, a missing permit, a change in conditions nobody talked about.
- Read the RAMS and check it matches the job in front of you; check the permit is issued and valid.
- Take part in the toolbox talk: the task, the hazards, who does what, the emergency plan.
- Control hazards from the top down: eliminate, substitute, engineering, administrative — PPE last.
- Stop and reassess when the weather, the task or the team changes.
Golden rules
- 1No permit, no work.
- 2PPE is the last line of defence.
- 3Anyone can stop unsafe work.
Chapter 6
Wind, weather & lightning
Limits are set before the job.
Wind, lightning, ice and temperature decide whether work at a turbine can go ahead. The limits come from the OEM and the site, and differ from task to task.
- Climbing, nacelle-roof work, rotor locking and crane lifts each have their own wind limit — know them for your site.
- Gusts count, not only the average speed.
- Leave the turbine when a thunderstorm approaches; wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder.
- Respect the exclusion zone around an iced turbine; ice can be thrown from the blades.
Golden rules
- 1Know the limit for each task.
- 2Thunder heard — get out and stay out.
- 3Keep clear of iced turbines.
Chapter 7
Lifting & manual handling
Loads, cranes and your back.
Service cranes lift tools and parts up the tower every day. Dropped loads and strained backs are among the most common injuries in the job.
- Only trained people operate the crane or hoist, and they check it before use.
- Never exceed the safe working load; check slings, shackles and hooks for damage.
- Set up an exclusion zone below the hatch and along the load path, and use tag lines.
- Plan every manual lift: the weight, the route, the grip, and where it goes down.
Golden rules
- 1Never stand under a suspended load.
- 2Check SWL and slings first.
- 3Lift with a plan, not your back.
Chapter 8
Fire & emergency escape
Get out early, get out safely.
A fire in a nacelle a hundred metres up leaves very little time. Prevention, early warning and a practised escape are what count.
- Hot work needs a permit, a fire watch and an extinguisher at hand.
- Raise the alarm and call the emergency number with the site, turbine number and level.
- Only tackle a fire that has just started, and only while your escape route stays clear.
- Know two ways out of every turbine: the ladder and the emergency descent route.
Golden rules
- 1Alarm, then escape.
- 2Know two ways out.
- 3Never go back for tools.
Chapter 9
Offshore transfer
Boat to turbine and back.
Transferring from a crew transfer vessel to a turbine is one of the highest-risk moments offshore. It only goes ahead in agreed sea conditions.
- Wear an approved lifejacket with a locator beacon, and a survival suit when conditions call for it.
- The skipper and the technician both agree the transfer is safe — either can say no.
- Step across when the deck is at the top of the swell. Never jump for the ladder.
- Attach your fall arrest to the ladder system as soon as you are on it.
Golden rules
- 1Both say go.
- 2Step at the top of the swell.
- 3Attach to the ladder at once.
Chapter 10
Substances, health & first aid
Look after your body on the job.
Oils, resins, dust, noise and long days take their toll slowly. Good habits protect your health for a whole career.
- Read the safety data sheet before using oils, greases, solvents or resins.
- Grinding composite blades makes fine dust: use a suitable respirator and extraction.
- Protect your hearing, drink water through the day, and respect working-time limits.
- Know where the first aid kit, burn kit and defibrillator are on site and in the turbine.
Golden rules
- 1Read the SDS first.
- 2Fit to climb — or don't climb.
- 3Know where the AED is.
The whole book, in your pocket
In the app each chapter has an animation, the golden rules and a quick check, and the Emergency screen adds 112, maps of the nearest defibrillators and hospitals, and first aid in short steps. All free, all working offline.
General safety awareness for wind turbine technicians. It does not replace GWO training, your employer's procedures, the manufacturer's instructions or site rules — those always come first.