Sunday 30 March 2014

Significance Of Wind Turbine Safety To The Worker

By Juana Buchanan


Wind has been harvested to power various processes for quite some time. A good example would be using its power to distribute water over a large field. Today, people can generate electricity through it as well. The only problem borders on safety. Most people have wanted procedures to protect them from the dangers associated with wind turbines. Gladly, there are rules to guarantee wind turbine safety.

To appreciate the importance of safety of wind turbines, you need to know some of the dangers associated with the energy. Accidents have resulted from broken turbines and rotor blades. In worst cases, the fractures forming along the rotors, short circuits or overheated propellers can cause fire. Such fires may have irreparable damages to the environment and the nearby homes. Other accidents may also stem from defective generators and bad gearboxes.

There are also some health risks tied to these powers. For example, the mills produce infra-sound that is harmful to human ears and can cause deafness, dizziness, sleeplessness and depression. Now, if you add the dangers that blade throw and ice formations may cause, you will realize that there is need for safety procedures.

One can approach the this issue from different perspectives. First, you could focus on occupational safety that covers safety precautions for worker on the turbine. The said workers are expected to wear protective clothing and have a train first aid caregiver. Secondly, there are various guidelines for the construction workers while at work i. E. Those who install the turbines. To this end, the contractor is expected to use inspected equipments. From cranes to fastening materials, the industry standards must be observed.

Another approach touches on the the repair contractors. It goes with saying that they must have the right tools and clothing. However, the technicians should ensure that their procedures do not endanger the lives of other workers. The repair team should also have an exit strategy in the event there is fire or generator breakdown.

Though it appears that there are some dangers attached to this kind of power, it still has some advantages and disadvantages. For starters, it is a clean source of electricity and does not pollute the environment. The source being natural, one can say that it is continuous. According most estimates, wind power also has the potential to generate more energy that man could ever need. Since the turbine requires less space to install, you can have it in residential areas. So long as its safe

This kind of power can promote development in the rural areas since it affordable to set up and maintain. The fact that governments are not investing in this power generation technique means it is friendly to the taxpayer. In addition and unlike most power generation plants, the fuel needed is more natural and readily available. This means no money is spent on buying and ferrying fuel to the farm.

There are a few cons associated with this kind of power. For instance, it is prone to failure, which means a lot of resources may be spent on the safety issues. The turbines may also be noisy and undependable in the absence of wind. In addition, some have complained that it destroys the aesthetic beauty a region. Nevertheless, its benefits seem to outweigh the disadvantages by far and thus the reason why most experts recommend it.




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