Contractor dies after fall at Texas wind turbine project

A worker fell to his death while climbing into a wind turbine at the Windthorst II Wind project in Archer County, Texas, on 24 April 2024. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The county sheriff's office said the incident appeared accidental but remained under investigation, and OSHA also opened an investigation into the safety aspects. The project was developed by OwnEnergy, reported as a subsidiary of French utility EDF. A spokesperson for EDF Renewables said the company was saddened by the tragic incident, expressed sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased, and said it was working closely with the contractor and the authorities investigating. The sheriff's office said local agencies had previously held rescue training with area wind farms, including working at height with first responders and helicopters, and that this was the first incident of this kind it was aware of in the county.

Not reported beyond the fact that the worker fell while climbing into the turbine. The cause of the fall has not been publicly disclosed and investigations were ongoing at the time of reporting.

1. Turbine access and climbing procedures, including fall protection equipment inspection and use, should be verified before any work at height begins.
2. Operators should keep rescue arrangements for work at height current and rehearsed with local emergency services.
3. Contractor supervision and permit controls for turbine entry should be checked independently, not assumed from induction records.

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