Wind farm workers who can save lives
Paramedics who double as technicians are set
to be introduced to offshore wind farms in an initiative backed by an innovation
funding pot.
Experienced life-savers are being trained
for operational duties on remote turbines so they can carry out a combined
maintenance and medical role.
The pioneering concept is being brought to
the emerging wind farm hub of East Anglia by SSI Energy, thanks to a £50,000
grant from the SCORE (Supply Chain innovation for Offshore Renewable Energy)
scheme which promotes new ideas and efficiency improvements in offshore
renewables.
Under the venture, fully-equipped technician
paramedics will be able to tackle medical emergencies such as strokes,
heart and asthma attacks and anaphylactic shock, as well as the full range
of traumatic emergencies including open fracture, and falls from height.
It provides a significantly higher-grade
service to that offered currently. At present the only medical cover is
provided by fellow technicians who are required to undergo only the two-day
GWO (Global Wind Organisation) first aid course, compared to the four years
of paramedics. This service enables patients and casualties to get expert
help in the first “golden hour” which is vital to boosting chances of
recovery.
The requirement to have a medic has been
typical in the oil and gas industry for the last 30 years, with a medic,
or in some cases a doctor, based on the platform, rig or vessel. With wind
farms being built further offshore than ever before, the need for having
greater medical protection is exactly the same.
Earlier this year SSI medic technician Peter
Lane saved a colleague who was taken ill at a wind turbine training centre
in Ireland. The medic spotted the symptoms, realised it was a heart attack,
and drove him to a filling station seven miles away to rendezvous with
an ambulance. The casualty twice went into cardiac arrest at the garage,
but Mr Lane had grabbed a defibrillator from the training centre, shocked
him back to life and gave CPR resuscitation until the casualty was sufficiently
stabilised to be able to able to be moved to hospital. The casualty has
made a full recovery after having stents fitted to his heart.
SSI managing director Duncan Higham said
the incident was the perfect example of the difference between life and
death technician medics could have on offshore, and onshore, wind farms.
Mr Higham said: “Wind farms are pretty safe
but if someone gets hurt or taken ill it could be a long wait for a helicopter
or lifeboat.
“If the casualty had been up an 80m turbine
offshore, with only a first aider on hand, he would have been unlikely
to survive.”
His views were echoed by Jason Welch, director
of GE, SSI Energy’s client in Ireland who said: “This was an excellent
outcome for the patient and proves exactly why we make the investment in
SSI Energy’s services. This type of serious incident could happen at any
time and to have specialist help on site really saves life.”
With an eye on value for money in cost-conscious
times, the technician medics are trained to carry out duties, up to Level
4, such as changing drive trains, greasing blade bearings, exchanging hydraulic
motors and annual maintenance.
The Hampshire-based company says it is this
“fresh approach” which has helped win over clients from traditional medic
providers.
“The usual concept is to have first aiders,
or a medic sitting around waiting for something to happen. We are trying
to add value and we know there is a demand in the industry,” said Mr Higham.
The initiative comes as offshore wind power
continues to develop off the East of England, and at a time when operators
are looking for increased cost effectiveness.
SSI Energy currently has four paramedics
working on wind farms in Poland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales as well as
offshore medics at various oil and gas companies globally including off
West Africa, Australia and the Middle East.
The SCORE grant is helping the company to
grow the venture by employing a new business development manager, Jonathan
Walker, who has nine years’ experience in similar work with United Health
Care (previously Frontier Medics). He will look to serve the Southern North
Sea offshore wind industry through an office based at either Great Yarmouth
or Lowestoft.
The aim is to have one medic technician in
each team of around 24 to 36 workers. SSI’s medics not only provide the
emergency service at remote locations, but do primary health screening
– signposting workers with health issues to visit their GPs – and look
at staff wellbeing, to aid their physical and mental health.
Many of SSI’s medics are ex-servicemen who
use their military robustness and enthusiasm in the new field of offshore
energy.
Mr Higham himself served 10 years as a Major
in the Royal Marines, including three tours of Afghanistan, before founding
SSI in 2012. He trained as a medic in Cape Town with the ambulance service
providing emergency care to the local town ships. His wife Katie, the company
medical advisor, served in the Royal Navy for 10 years rising to Lt Cdr
in charge of a warship before training as a doctor.
Rob Bush, SCORE project manager, said: “This
is a really innovative model that also brings a new concept and employment
to the area.
“It fits perfectly with our aim to unleash
great new ideas which lower costs and increase efficiencies in offshore
renewable energy.”
SCORE offers grants to help companies across
England to develop new products, processes and ideas – from patenting
a product to exploring concepts that offer new ways of solving problems
and driving efficiency in offshore renewables.
Grants are available to start-up and established
companies for up to 40% of eligible costs or £50,000, whichever is the
lower, with a minimum grant of £2,500.
The fund has now been rolled out across England,
as long as applicants can show their work will bring economic benefit to
the east of England.
The programme is part-funded by the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is open to companies with fewer than
250 employees and an annual turnover of less than 50 million euros.
The funding is designed to help companies
in a wide range of areas, including research and development, collaboration
with universities and research bodies, securing patents, acquiring specialist
equipment or services and investigating the commercial viability of processes
and technologies.
Companies can also access up to 12hrs of
subsidised business support from regional enterprise agency Nwes to help
grow and develop their business.
The current programme is delivered by OrbisEnergy
Lowestoft in partnership with enterprise specialists Nwes, energy industry
experts Nautilus Associates and the national Offshore Renewable Energy
Catapult centre.
