A Neglected Hazard?

Dropped Objects pose a significant and damaging risk to the rapidly expanding renewable energy industry, and particularly the offshore wind sector.

Dropped Object incidents can occur at offshore wind sites as a result of unsuitable operational processes, human error or environmental factors.

They can take place during installation, maintenance or decommissioning processes – at the foundations, nacelle or blades, in the tower, or on installation and service vessels. Dropped Objects can also happen during routine operations, for example if a machinery part suffers severe corrosion over time and falls from the installation.

Mitigating the risk

Dropsafe works with developers and operators in the wind energy industry to develop best practice Dropped Object prevention systems and strategies that do not compromise on value and cost efficiency.

The Dropsafe Barrier, the Dropsafe Net and the Dropsafe Pouch can be deployed to effectively prevent Dropped Objects, including tools dropped by technicians, items lifted from Crew Transfer Vessels and Service Operation Vessels and smaller items fitted to the wind turbine generator like nuts and bolts, lights, ventilation louvres or hatches.

Working directly with asset owners and site managers, Dropsafe also develops custom solutions for mitigating the risk of Dropped Objects on wind farms, creating bespoke systems to meet market and technology-specific requirements.