Worker dies after fall at Potzneusiedl IV-V wind farm, Burgenland

What happened

A service provider died after falling approximately 100 metres inside the tower of an Enercon wind turbine being installed at the Potzneusiedl IV-V wind farm in Burgenland, Austria. Enercon had been contracted to repower the site as part of a wider repowering and expansion agreement with utility Energie Burgenland. Emergency services were called immediately after the incident and confirmed the worker had died. Police and authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the fall.

Enercon stated it did not yet know why the man fell inside the turbine tower and said it would support the authorities' investigation. No further details on the cause were available at the time of reporting.

Contributing factors

Not reported. The cause of the fall inside the turbine tower had not been determined at the time of reporting and was under investigation by police and authorities.

Lessons learned

1. During wind turbine installation, fall protection inside towers must be verified because workers face height risks before systems are complete.
2. Manufacturers must define clear emergency protocols for installation work inside towers, as response times affect outcomes.

More lessons on structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Exact cause of the fall
• Turbine model
• Details of fall protection used

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

Windpower Monthly (windpowermonthly.com)