Data provided in the G+ Global Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation 2023 report shows that the number of incidents in 2023 nearly doubled compared to the year before.
In 2023, there were 1,679 incidents recorded by almost 40 G+ members – a who’s who of offshore wind players. This is an increase of 94% from 2022’s 867 incidents. In terms of more serious incidents, medical treatment injuries rose 59% over 2023 to 70 incidents, another substantial rise.
Of the 1,679 incidents noted, 1,049 happened on a construction site, 560 were on an operation site, 67 were on a development site, and three were outside any site type. The most incident-prone processes were lifting operations with 207 incidents, while 169 occurred during vessel operations – including jackups and barges, and another 109 happened during routine maintenance.
Last year, the number of hours worked saw a substantial increase, rising from 44.6m hours in 2022 to an all-time high of 61.9m hours in 2023, an increase of 39%.
Due to far more hours worked in 2023 than in 2022, the number of medical treatment injuries per million hours is larger by only 15%, with 2022 having 0.99 medical treatment incidents per million hours, and 2023 having 1.13.
When examining restricted workday injuries, there is a slight decline of 8% between 2022 and 2023, dropping from 36 to 33. Factoring in hours worked, a more substantial decrease is notable – from 0.81 restricted workday incidents per million hours in 2022 to 0.53 in 2023, a drop of 34%.
Finally, lost workday injuries rose 41%, from 46 in 2022 to 65 in 2023, but saw a very small increase in incidents per million hours, rising 2% from 1.03 in 2022 to 1.05 in 2023.
The report also noted the first fatality since reports were first compiled in 2013. An individual lost their life while working on turbine assembly onshore. While on a mobile elevating work platform, the individual became stuck between the platform basket and the turbine blade bearing being worked on.
