Safety Risks on the Rise as Global Offshore Wind Industry Grows

 

As the offshore wind sector across the world witnesses growth, there is a rise in safety concerns for personnel and vessels involved. Last week, the G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organization released its 2024 incident report, revealing rising safety risks in the offshore wind industry.

The data contained in the report is compiled from G+ member companies, comprising lead operators and owners of offshore wind farms and original equipment manufacturers serving the sector. The reporting covered Asia, Europe, Australia and the U.S. A major highlight of the report, which is in its twelfth year, is the unprecedented growth for the industry in 2024, with 79 million work hours reported, representing a 27 percent increase from 2023.

However, this growth has also seen a rise in both the Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR), up 7 percent, and the Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF), which went up by 19 percent. Unfortunately, the industry recorded one fatality last year. The incident involved a worker fatally injured during the disassembly work on a monopile upending tool. The second worker was left hospitalized.

Notably, development sites saw the highest number of reported injuries, with a 75 percent increase year-on-year. The injury breakdown for the period include 99 lost work day injuries, 57 restricted work day injuries and 74 medical treatment injuries. Incidents tagged as high potential - having the greatest likelihood of causing serious harm regardless of actual consequence - were 245, representing 12 percent of all incidents.

Jack-up vessels/barges constituted a risky area for the industry, accounting for 14% of all injuries, with 92 incidents in 2024, up 42% from 2023. Other platforms that recorded significant increases in the number of injuries include the survey vessels, with 30 incidents from 12 in 2023, a rise of 150 percent. Cable installation vessels saw a 108 percent rise to 25 incidents, from 12 the previous year.

“The continued growth of the offshore wind sector is a testament to our industry’s commitment to the energy transition, but it also brings new and evolving risks. The increase in high potential incidents and the tragic fatality this year remind us that we must never be complacent,” said G+ Chair and Senior Vice President at Ørsted, Lisbeth Frømling.