Case Study – Offshore Wind Farm HAZID Workshops

The Project

Salus Technical partnered with a client operating a new offshore wind farm to conduct Hazard Identification (HAZID) workshops. The project spanned operations and access of offshore wind turbines, offshore platforms, onshore converter stations, and gangway transfers.

The wind farm has several hundred turbines, accommodates up to 150 field personnel at any given time, and it is estimated that 50,000 gangway transfers will take place across the field’s life. Therefore, required a profound understanding of industry-specific risks and regulations.

The Challenge

The offshore wind industry comes with significant hazards, including risks of vessel collision, falls to sea, dropped objects, and incidents during gangway transfers. The client comprised multiple stakeholders including the wind farm operator, vessel operator, key contractors, and equipment specialists, who all needed to understand and manage the major accident risks. Many participants were newcomers to the industry, making familiarisation with key regulations and best practices a significant challenge.

The Solution

Salus Technical addressed these challenges by thoroughly immersing ourselves in understanding the applicable regulations, best practices, and guidance. Despite geographical constraints, we made regular site visits and integrated ourselves within the client’s teams to ensure we optimised our understanding of their needs and that our work delivered maximum value. The HAZID workshops were facilitated via a hybrid approach: the first session was conducted face-to-face, with the rest executed remotely via MS Teams. This method ensured effective communication and collaborative risk identification, regardless of physical location. There were six HAZID workshops in total, each spanning several sessions.

The Result

The project culminated in the successful completion of all HAZID workshops, leading to an enhanced understanding of the risks inherent in operating the wind farm. We identified critical actions through this process, such as the need for additional training and clearer bridging documents among the parties. Salus Technical’s expertise played an instrumental role in improving safety levels and competency across the client’s operation.