Worker fatally electrocuted atop turbine at Invenergy wind farm, Camp Springs, Texas

What happened

A worker was fatally electrocuted while working at the top of a wind turbine at an Invenergy wind farm in Camp Springs, Scurry County, Texas. Emergency responders from Scurry County EMS, the Snyder Fire Department and the Scurry County Sheriff's Office were required to retrieve the worker from the turbine. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Invenergy confirmed the incident and stated it was working with authorities to determine the cause and was conducting a thorough internal review. No further details on the specific electrical fault or work being carried out at the time were disclosed in public reporting.

Contributing factors

Not reported. The cause of the electrical incident had not been determined publicly at the time of reporting, pending investigation by Invenergy and authorities.

Lessons learned

1. Work at height on wind turbines requires strict lockout tagout before electrical tasks, as live faults can prove fatal.
2. Turbine sites need retrieval plans that cover the time and equipment to lower an injured worker from nacelle height.

More lessons on worker safety and safe systems of work, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Specific electrical fault
• Work being carried out at the time
• Turbine model and age
• Cost of the incident

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

Source

ktxs.com