The GWO standard is intended to provide a better level of safety training as regards wind turbine applications. It is for this very reason, in fact, that GWO was formed by leading manufacturers/operating authorities of wind turbines.
Catastrophic incidents and accidents are frequently the catalyst for the drawing up of standardised safety measures or for corresponding training. The sinking of the Titanic is undoubtedly the most well-known example here. As a result of this tragic event, the maritime safety regulations were standardised, and this led to a substantial reduction of the risks in hazardous situations and an increase in the level of safety.
In order to avoid such catastrophes in the wind industry, the manufacturers of this sector took the initiative and founded the organisation GWO. The following standards were set by GWO for the five wind-turbine safety training modules:
• Fire awareness - 4 hrs - 4 years - on- / offshore
• First aid - 16 hrs - 2 years - on- / offshore
• Sea survival - 12 hrs - 4 years - offshore
• Manual handling - 4 hrs - 4 years - on- / offshore
• Work at height - 16 hrs - 1 year - on- / offshore
The list indicates the training modules, along with the respective application areas, durations and lengths of validity. To guarantee that the same training is received everywhere, all contents and activities of the courses are specified in advance by GWO. This enables knowledge to be imparted consistently and thus guarantees that, in emergency situations, mutual assistance can be expected. Due to globalisation and the increasingly intensive networking of companies, it is very important that everyone has the same degree of know-how as regards safety.
Before being in a position to offer such training, the training provider, in its capacity as a company with its sites and training objects, has to be certified from a recognised and independent testing institute. A 2-day audit is carried out for this purpose. Various aspects related to the company and its training ‒ quality management, corporate management, qualification of trainers, training premises, practice equipment, and the entire set of training activities ‒ are assessed, in strict compliance with the GWO specifications.
The company will only receive GWO certification if the audit is successful. SKYLOTEC has received certification for its core competence (where it has many years of experience) and satisfies all the criteria laid down by GWO; as a certified company, it is now in a position to offer wind-turbine safety training for the “Work at heights” module.