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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: K Lard on February 20, 2015, 01:54:29 PM

Title: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: K Lard on February 20, 2015, 01:54:29 PM

What would your Fire Risk Assessment say?
Are Fire Authorities considering this?
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3cd_1383772851 (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3cd_1383772851)

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: Messy on February 21, 2015, 07:47:56 AM

Not a nice way to die - Photo show the two young engineers hugging together on top of the turbine with no way down.

I know virtually nothing about the circumstances of this fire so cant comment on this tragic incident, but for business continuity reasons (as well as life safety), I wouldn't have thought it would be too expensive to install a water mist system to protect these expensive turbines, as fires don't seem to be that rare

http://www.archipelagofiles.com/2014/03/this-photo-of-two-engineers-hugging.html

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: kurnal on February 22, 2015, 10:43:03 PM

I wonder if an abseiling kit would be a suitable and reasonable additional safety measure for such structures?

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: nearlythere on February 23, 2015, 07:52:40 AM

Quote from: kurnal on February 22, 2015, 10:43:03 PM

I wonder if an abseiling kit would be a suitable and reasonable additional safety measure for such structures?

My thoughts as well. I believe the cranes at Harland and Wolf had self resue equipment.

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: Martin on February 23, 2015, 09:30:37 AM

Turbine owners insist on either the renewableuk or GWO Global Wind Organisation SWAH and rescue qual, for the construction, and operations phase. Same all over UK and Europe. The kit is usually stored in a steel box incise the nacelle at the top. It is a single rope system subject to 6 monthly checks. The kits are designed to be used by non frequent climbers and are quite foolproof. Some systems have an abseil type device with fire resisting rope.
Very few farms have specialist expert medical rescue teams, that have specific rope rescue and medical capabilities. The offshore wind farm I work on has several of these teams where I am a team leader.

Info from an H&S specialist (not me)(Via IOSH Website) SWAH = Safe Working at Heights

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: Daffodil on February 27, 2015, 04:26:37 PM

A friend of mine used to construct these, the teams always had a method of rapelling down if necessary.

Title: Re: Two dead in Holland Wind Turbine Fire.
Post by: Mike Buckley on February 27, 2015, 04:53:43 PM

The kit is usually stored in a steel box incise the nacelle at the top.

Not a lot of good if the nacelle is on fire.