The open sea is a

dangerous workplace.
The rescue of casualties
is difficult.

Photo: Skylotec

Patient
stabilised

48

offshore Wind Industry 2|2014

Logistics & operations | Safety

At least 80 injured and four deaths have resulted from the

construction of offshore wind turbines in the North Sea, but
activities to create an unbroken rescue chain have sped up
considerably. The first success here: a control centre in Bremen.

orking
an

on

offshore

on offshore wind turbines is no higher than the rate in

corresponding industrial sectors.

wind turbine

What is actually more challenging and risky is the

is dangerous.

time after the accident. What medical aid can come 50,

And

Acci-

60 or 100 km out into the open seas? A team of experts

dents repeatedly happen, including fatal ones. However,

has been looking intensively at the subject of the res-

the risks are also felt subjectively, as the accident rate

cue chain for about four years now. And late but not

The helicopter is always the transport of choice when it comes to getting accident victims back to land as
quickly as possible.

too late: offshore wind farm operators, the police, poli-

Baur, spokesperson for the DGzRS. In an emergency on

ticians, maritime groups, service providers and rescue

an offshore wind turbine, corporate health and safety

organisations on land are taking concrete steps to pro-

kicks in first: it is thus the individual responsibility of

vide emergency services without conflicts of jurisdiction

each company to have adequate protection and safety

and competence.

concepts in place, including rescue equipment and an

One of the most pressing tasks was the setting up

unbroken chain of communication. It is one of several

of a control centre to receive calls and coordinate res-

solutions for the wind farm operator to work together

cue work. About two years ago, the German Maritime

with the GMN.

Rettung Schiffbrchiger, DGzRS) agreed to set this up.

Complex rescue situation

The DGzRS founded a new company, the Society for

The customers of the GMN are RWE, WindMW, 50Hertz,

Maritime Emergency Management (Gesellschaft fr

ABB, EnBW, DanTysk, Global Tech 1, Siem Offshore and

maritimes Notfallmanagement, GMN) for the Offshore

Dong Energy. These companies have meanwhile closed

Wind Emergency Control Centre (Notfallleitstelle

the relevant contracts with the GMN. An important pre-

Offshore-Windparks, NOW).

requisite for this was, and is, that the work of the GMN is

The NOW in Bremen is currently celebrating its

first birthday and it operates closely together with the

50

financed by the wind farm operators and that they have

their own rescue equipment available on call.

offshore operators. This not only increases the safety

The wind farm operators do not have unlimited li-

standards, but is legally anchored this way, explains Ralf

abilities for rescue and medical first aid, however. There

offshore Wind Industry 2|2014

Photo: WINDEAcare

Search and Rescue Service (Deutsche Gesellschaft zur

Logistics & operations | Safety

is a ceiling on what constitutes an acceptable level of

company responsibility. For this reason the expression
complex rescue situation was introduced. It exists
when a demanding or time-critical rescue is necessary,
individual emergency first aid provision must be carried
out or several groups must be coordinated. The responsibilities then change, says Baur.
Once complex damage or a complex rescue situation has occurred and an operation by the emergency
response team of the Central Command for Maritime
Emergencies (CCME) is necessary within the framework of state public service provision, then overall
responsibility and command falls to the response unit
of the CCME. Depending on the circumstances, the
NOW is responsible for special tasks within a response
field, explains Baur. Secure and quick communication
between all parties involved has a high priority here.
The head of the CCME, Hans-Werner Monsees,
introduced this emergency response team at a symposium in Flensburg: two rescue-at-heights specialPhoto: Siemens

ists, a rescue assistant, an emergency doctor and the

team leader. The normal means of transportation is
The transfer from the boat to the turbine is risky and

by helicopter.
Jrn Iken

demands full concentration.