2024.02.20 Safety Report: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Wind Turbine Generator
20 February 2024
The following notice has been issued by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
Product
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy - Siemens 3 MW SWP 3.0 Wind Turbine Generator fitted with Avanti SWP L service lift
Type
Machinery - Wind Turbine Generator
Country of origin
Denmark
Product Description
An Onshore wind turbine generator with rated power 3000 kW and rotor diameter 113.0 m, fitted with Avanti Wind Systems A/S Model SWP L.
Model
SWT-3.0-113 DD
Full product name
Siemens SWT-3.0-113 DD wind turbine generator fitted with Avanti Wind Systems A/S service lift model SWP L, including swinging door (landing gates) and trapped-key fence interlock system
Affected serial numbers
3001073, 3001074, 3001075, 3001076, 3001077, 3001078, 3001079, 3001082, 3001083, 3001084, 3001085, 3001086, 3001087, 3001089, 3001090, 3001091
Hazard
The Siemens SWT-3.0-113 DD wind turbine generator fitted with the Avanti Wind Systems A/S SWP L service lift and landing gates, presents a serious risk of injury due to entrapment and shearing/crushing with the moving lift car.
The service lift installed in the wind turbine can be operated from inside the lift car, and from outside using the control box mounted on the outside of the lift car. The design of the landing gates is inadequate, as when the service lift is operated using either the internal or external controls, the gates do not prevent persons outside the lift car from coming into contact with the moving lift. It is possible for parts of a person to become caught in the post-box style slots and drawn in or trapped between the moving lift and the landing gate or platform edges, resulting in risk of serious injury.
The design of the landing gates and their integration with the service lift did not result in a safe installation. It did not include appropriate protective measures to eliminate identified hazards or to reduce risks related to being caught in the slots of the moving lift or between the landing gate or platform edges and the moving lift.
The wind turbine generator fitted with the SWP L service lift and landing gates does not meet the requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.
Corrective action
The manufacturer in Denmark and the supplier in Great Britain have been informed of the non-compliance with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.
The supplier has agreed to engage with all previously supplied customers, recommending that they initiate a risk review of the service lift and wind turbine generator interface as a matter of priority.
Operators of the wind turbines should ensure that contact with moving parts of the service lift is not possible, and that the landing gates do not create crushing/shearing hazards to persons on the landings during lift operation.
The Health and Safety Executive issued Safety Notice ED 4 - 2023 (15.08.2023) on wind turbine generator service lifts and the risk of serious injury or death to operators using, or working near, them. This safety notice provides information on actions that operators should take to ensure dangerous moving parts cannot be reached over or through landing gates. The HSE Safety Notices can be found on the GOV.UK webpage.
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