Renewable Energy: A Need for Renewed Safety Compliance

Paul Colangelo, STS, CHST National Director of Compliance Programs ClickSafety.com

Industry History

Industry Overview

Renewable Safety Culture

Common Injuries and Illnesses

Common Safety and Health Hazards

Construction and Maintenance Safety Tips

Subcontractor Management

Incidents/Case Studies

Summary

Reference Material

AGENDA

Question: How long has solar technology been around?

SOLAR TIMELINE

1839 - Alexandre Edmond Becquerel observes the photovoltaic effect via an electrode in a conductive solution exposed to light.

1894 - Melvin Severy receives patent US527377, "Solar cell", and US527379,

"Solar cell". 1952 - Bell Labs produce solar cells for space activities 1962 - The Telstar communications satellite is powered by solar cells. 1977 - The Solar Energy Research Institute is established at Golden, Colorado. 1978 - First solar-powered calculators. 1978 - The "Energy Crisis"; leads to groundswell of public interest in solar energy

use 1979 - President Jimmy Carter installs solar panels on the White House and

promotes incentives for solar energy systems.

Industry History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._E._Becquerelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaic_effecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Melvin_Severy&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Labshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telstarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Renewable_Energy_Laboratoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden,_Coloradohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Energy_Crisishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaic_modulehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House

Solar Politics - 1970s Jimmy Carter, President

CARTER'S SOLAR PANELS: On June 20, 1979, the Carter administration installed 32 solar thermal panels on the roof of the White House.

"In the year 2000 this solar water heater behind me, which is being dedicated today, will still be here supplying cheap, efficient energy. A generation from now, this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken or it can be just a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people.

- President Jimmy Carter

Industry History

http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/pressrelease.cfm?key=29&newskey=1058

Solar Politics - 1980s Ronald Reagan , President

Industry History

In 1986, the Reagan administration removed the panels from the roof of the White House. Reagans Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan refers to the solar panels as just a joke. So just what did happen to Carters solar panels? Of the 32 original panels: One resides at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History One resides at the Carter Library 16 still grace the roof of the Unity Environmental College cafeteria in Unity, Maine 14 were acquired by Solar Science and Technology Museum in Dezhou, China and

currently on display China currently manufacturers 80% of the worlds solar panels.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/pressrelease.cfm?key=29&newskey=1058http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/pressrelease.cfm?key=29&newskey=1058http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/

Renewable Politics Today Big Changes Barack Obama, President

New Energy Crisis- Global Economic Consumption

Imports: Unstable Governments and Associated Pricing

Global Environmental Awareness Movement: Baby Boomers, Generations X, Y and Z- Big Political Issue!

State Clean Energy Funds & Leasing Programs

LEED- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

Economic Downturn in Traditional Construction

Other Leading Renewable Countries: Germany, Spain, China

Obama Administration Fails On Promise to Put Solar Panels on White House Roof by June 21, 2011

It doesn't require SEAL Team Six to put up the solar panels"

- President Barack Obama

Industry History

Renewable Green Alternative Clean

Applications: Residential Commercial Industrial Municipalities Military Aerospace Medical

Wind Energy /Wind Farms Solar PV/Fields Solar Thermal Geothermal Tide Technology Green Roofs Bio Fuels Hydrogen Fuel Cells Recycling Technologies

Industry Overview

Need Bigger Focus on Safety and Health in Renewable Construction and Maintenance

Lets Make the Commitment to Safety as Important as the Commitment to a Greener Planet

Renewable Safety Paradigms - Adoptive Thinking on How Risk is Perceived

Renewable

Safety Culture

I Cant See Why OSHA Would Want To Interfere With Making The Planet A Better Place To Live?

- Solar Client

Death And Serious Injury Dont Care How Dedicated You Are to a Greener Planet!

- Paul Colangelo, STS, CHST

Being Green Doesnt Mean Unsafe Behavior Goes Unseen!

- Paul Colangelo, STS, CHST

Fall Traumas

Soft Tissue Sprains

Cuts

Heat Illness

Hypothermia

Skin Contact and Inhalations of HAZMAT

Electrical -Incident Energy Contact And Arc Flash/Burns

Injuries to Non-Crew Members

Common

Renewable

Injuries and

Illnesses

Common Safety

and Health

Hazards - Solar

Electric/Thermal

Construction

Falls- Unguarded Edges, Ladders, Skylights, Selection & Knowledge Of FP Systems

Falling Objects- Roof Materials

Electrical-Shock Incidents/ Battery Discharge Current, RF & Electro-magnetic Antenna

Metal Rails Striking Overhead Power Lines

Struck By/Caught In Between- Material Lifts & Mobile Equipment

Glycol - GHS

Hot Work

X

Common Safety

and Health

Hazards - Wind

Energy

Construction

Falls - PFAS

Electrical

Crane & Mobile Equipment Activities

Pinch Points

Trenching & Excavations

Security/Crowd Control

Extreme Weather

Confined Spaces

Tower Fatigue

Communication Systems

Renewable Energy

Construction

Safety Tips

Include Estimators and Engineering in Safety Plan Process

Safety Training and Certifications for Foremen and Supervisors!

Competent Persons on Site for Construction & Installation Activities

Thorough Safety Plans & Documentation

Effective Safety Meetings. Include all Subcontractors!

FOCUS FOUR TRAINING

Authorized and Qualified Equipment Operators

Security Planning

TRAINING- Ongoing/Effective

Renewable

Energy

Maintenance

Safety Tips

NFPA70B

Service, Maintenance and Emergency Restoration- TRAINING!

Communication and Planning- Include Safety

Commissioning of PV Arrays

Quality Link to Safety

Careful Selection of Qualified Techs

Subcontractor

Management

Subcontractor Model Industry Practice

Renewable Contractor expansion similar to Communications boom of late 90s

PMs/Safety Department Interaction

Screening Process

Leading Indicators-Training and Safety Performance!

Effective Safety Meetings. Include all Subcontractors!

Strong Emphasis on Fall Protection & Electrical Safety

Case Study

Overview

Incident Case Study 1 Wind Tower Construction Project Crane Rigging Incident Southeastern US

A crew of 6 technicians from a renewable energy company in New England is selected to construct a 100 kilowatt, 125 wind tower on a college campus in the Southeast U.S. The crew, although very experienced at solar installation, has very little experience with wind tower construction. The foreman, however, is very experienced, but not with the make and model of the wind tower to be installed. The wind tower manufacturer provides an on site technician to oversee overall quality of the installation per the manufacturers specifications, but not to supervise day to day operations. The crew is notified with only a two week notice to prepare for the installation. It is January. Site weather conditions are cold and muddy. The site is a large college campus. An area of approximately acre has been cleared for the wind tower location. The concrete foundation for the tower has already been previously engineered, poured and cured. The wind tower sections, pieces and hardware have been delivered to the site. A local crane company has been hired for rigging, and local electricians are hired for all associated tower wiring and cabling. The crew is notified before leaving for the site that it is imperative that the tower is installed and commissioned as soon as possible, as the college is planning a very high profile ribbon cutting ceremony soon. The crew arrives, and under the direction of the tower manufacturer and company foreman, begin installing the tower. Because of the muddy conditions and access to the site, the tower sections and pieces have been staged on a hillside adjacent to the site of the tower foundation. Despite poor weather conditions, the tower sections are installed within days. Now comes time to install the nacelle, the housing that contains all of the generating components such as the gearbox, drive train, and brake assembly. The nacelle is approximately the size of a small automobile and weighs 3.5 tons. As the nacelle is prepped for rigging. The foreman notices there are two rigging points on the nacelle. Without checking with the onsite manufacturer technician, or manufacturers manual, he instructs the crane rigger to attach to what he believes is the correct rigging point. Because of access issues to where the nacelle is currently staged, the foreman asks the crane operator if he can first have the nacelle picked and then transported to a staging area close to the tower base where the nacelles main gear can be inspected and lubricated before being hoisted into place atop the tower sections. The crane operator doesnt see this as an issue , but the location of where the foreman is asking for the nacelle to be placed will cause the hoist travel path to change. The new travel path will now go partially over the colleges two main water tanks, each holding approximately 180,000 gallons of water. There is also a large crowd of students, faculty and onlookers that has gathered inside of the work zone to view and film the nacelle being installed. It should be noted that this crowd has gathered daily since the project began, and there is no dedicated crew member controlling security and access to the site. A wood cradle made of planks is quickly put into place by the tower base to receive the nacelle. The nacelle is hoisted from its position on the hillside. It is hoisted approximately 50 feet above the ground as it travel over the water tanks on its way to the staging area by the tower base. Several students, faculty and members of the local news media filming the activity have ventured into the hoist travel area. The nacelle is slowly lowered onto the cradle. As the lower gear is inspected and lubricated, the crane operator keeps slight tension on the nacelle. The hand signal is then given to hoist the nacelle up, when suddenly the rigging point on the nacelle shears off. After inspection, it is found that the rigging attachment point was incorrect. The rigging point was only for securing the nacelle during truck transportation . It was also discovered that the nacelle had just been assembled days earlier, and a fresh coat of paint covered the warning label noting that the on rigging point is not for hoisting.

Incident Case Study 1

Wind Tower Construction Project Crane Rigging Incident Southeastern US

Incident Analysis

Causal Factors/Observations/Discoveries:

Project Not Disclosed To Safety Department For Review Lead Installer Inexperienced With Safety Compliance Crew Inexperience/Lack Of Training Poor Planning/Improper JHA Rushed Conditions Failure To Establish Written Crane Safety Pick Plan Including Clarification Of Official Rigging Point On Nacelle Crane Operator And Rigger Could Not Produce Training Records Poor Security Measures/Failure To Clear Unauthorized Visitors Out

Of Work Zone

Case Study

Analysis

Incident Case Study 2

Residential Rooftop Solar Panel Installation Fall from rooftop Northeastern US

An experienced solar installer working as a residential foreman for a renewable energy company is asked to install a 2.5 kilowatt solar electric array on a two story residence. The homeowner has purchased the system and signed the contract for installation, but due to end of year heavy project schedules, there is limited manpower to help him with this project. The homeowner is now demanding the installation be scheduled immediately. The company regional manager instructs the foreman to procure a worker from a temp agency they have used in the past. The foreman calls the temp agency and arranges for a worker to meet him at the site two days later. The foreman meets the temp worker at the residence and goes over the details of the installation. He notices the temp worker is very young and speaks limited English, but he seems very handy and eager to help with the installation. He also discovers the temp worker does not have a Personal Fall Arrest System and hasnt received any fall protection training as well. It s December, extremely cold and several inches of snow have fallen recently. The roof of the residence is a slightly steep 4:1 pitch, and has patches of ice and snow on it. Because the solar array is small and the conditions of the roof are slippery, the foreman decides he alone will work on the roof, and the temp worker will assist him with material logistics. The foreman uses an extension ladder and roof ladder to access the roof peak. He installs several roof fall protection anchor points along the roof peak, then dons his Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) and attaches to an anchor point. Throughout the morning and afternoon, the installation goes well. Instead of using a material line and basket, the temp worker had been climbing up and down the ladder with tools, solar panels and associated materials and handing them to the foreman at the roof edge. As such, the temp worker would also take tools and materials back down the ladder with him. As dusk begins to set in, the foreman, still on the roof top, tells the temp worker to begin cleaning up for the day. A few minutes later, the foreman asks the temp worker to help him get some of his tools down, including a cordless drill and 3 ft. level. As he had done throughout the day, the temp worker climbs the two story extension ladder and waits at the roof edge for the foreman to come down and hand him the tools. As the foreman is coming down from the upper roof to the edge, his PFAS lifeline gets caught on a section of the solar array rails. Rather than go back up to the upper roof and free the caught line, he unclips his PFAS from the lifeline and slowly crab walks down toward the ladder. He apparently hits a small patch of black ice, losing his footing. He slides approximately 3 feet into the ladder where the temp worker is standing waiting for him. The ladder is not secured at the roof contact point. As he makes contact with the temp worker and ladder, the impact causes the base of the ladder to kick out. Both workers fall as the ladder slides down the side of the house, and strike the driveway. The home owners wife, who was at home, heard the crash. She ran outside to find both workers on the ground wincing in pain. She calls 911, and later an ambulance arrives and transports both men to a local hospital. The temp worker sustains a broken shoulder and the foreman a fractured leg. They also have multiple cuts, bruises and abrasions. There is also significant damage to the home, including a broken window and damage to the siding. When interviewing the foreman a few days later and asking him why he unclipped his fall protection system, he stated that because it was late in the day and he didnt feel like climbing back up to the upper roof to untangle the lifeline; he decided just to unclip, leave his lifeline there on the roof overnight, and worry about it next day. The foreman was out of work on workers comp for 8 weeks and then put on restricted work duty for another 8 weeks. The temp worker never returned to work, and filed a negligence lawsuit against the temp agency and the renewable energy company. The company also had to file an insurance claim to fix the damages to the homeowners residence.

Case Study

Overview

Incident Case Study 2

Residential Rooftop Solar Panel Installation Fall from rooftop Northeastern US

Incident Analysis

Causal Factors/Observations/Discoveries:

Temp Worker Procurement/Training Poor Planning Foreman Un-clipped PFAS System Weather Conditions Improper Ladder Set Up And Securement Not Utilizing a Material Line and Basket Carrying Solar Panels Up Ladder

Case Study

Analysis

Case Study

Overview

Incident Case Study 3

Residential Pole Mount Solar Panel Installation Fire Northeastern US

A renewable energy company is installing a 5 kilowatt pole mounted solar electric array at a residential site. The pole mounted system is located approximately 100 yards from the home. A shallow trench is dug from the array to the home for cable and wiring to the inverter system. The location of the array is in a field, where straw like, dry grass and brush is in abundance. The field is several square acres in size and feeds into vast forest area. Although its December in the Northeast, the temperature is unseasonably warm, and there has been little precipitation in the past two months. The lead installer on the project has procured a local welder to weld and braze components of the solar array pole units. The experienced welder is self employed. On this day, however, he brings along a helper, which turns out to be his 19 year old son. Other than a prior phone conversation with the lead installer, along with drawings left on site, the welder arrives on a day that the lead installer is not at the site. Regardless, the welder checks in with the homeowner and goes to work. Approximately 4 hours into the project, the welding operation ignites a small patch of the straw. The welder and his son immediately try to contain the fire, but because of the dry conditions, along with a breeze blowing, the fire quickly spreads. The welder tells his son to run to his truck and get a fire extinguisher. The son searches the truck frantically looking for a fire extinguisher, but cannot find one. The homeowner is alerted to what is happening. The homeowner also does not have a fire extinguisher, and the homes outside water supply is turned off for the winter and the hoses are in storage. The homeowner calls 911. It takes fire department approximately 20 minutes to arrive due to the rural location of the home. By that time, the fire has burned over an acre of field brush, and making its way toward the home and the adjoining forest. Luckily, the fire department contains the fire and fully extinguishes it. The fire department notes that the fire came dangerously close to reaching the woods, which could have lead to a major forest fire. There are also miles of high voltage utility lines running parallel with the woods that would have been impacted as well. The lead installer decides not to contact his company right away about the incident. The lead installer waits two days to contact his company safety department about the incident by means of an email. The safety director immediately launches an incident investigation. It is found that the project was never submitted for a safety plan approval. Also, the self employed welder is not on the list of the companys approved subcontractors, which is a violation of company policy. The lead installer is also questioned about not being on the site. Subsequently, the welder has no safety training, minimal PPE and has no experience with hot work permits. An insurance claim is filed to cover damages to the homeowners property.

Case Study

Analysis

Incident Case Study 3

Residential Pole Mount Solar Panel Installation Fire Northeastern US

Incident Analysis

Causal Factors/Observations/Discoveries:

Subcontractor Procurement Subcontractor Training Failure To Conduct Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) Poor Planning/Communication Failure To Develop And Implement Hot Work Permit Competent Person Not On-Site Lack of Emergency Planning

Case Study

Overview

Incident Case Study 4

Commercial Solar Panel Installation Project Fall from Rooftop Mid-Atlantic US

A renewable energy company is hired to design and install a 200 kilowatt solar electric roof mounted array at a large high school. The project has experienced several unscheduled delays due to paperwork required for the states clean energy fund. The paperwork is finally in order, but because of the delays, the project now needs to be performed in December, as opposed to July, when the school s students and faculty are on vacation. The renewable energy company hires a local electrical company to perform the majority of the installation. The subcontractor is on the companys list of approved subcontractors. The schools solar system is installed in three sections, on three separate roof tops. The roof tops are flat rubber membrane and approximately five stories high. Normally, portable metal tube guardrails are procured and erected as the preferred fall prevention system for this type of project, but the subcontractor cannot locate enough for this project. As a result, the rooftop arrays cannot be installed concurrently. They opt for warning lines as well, but the solar panels protrude past the warning line protection barrier of 15. Some of the panels are 1 from the roof edge. Because of the lack of tie off points for personal fall arrest and restraint systems, the company procures a mobile fall protection cart which up to 4 workers can be tied off to. A written safety plan is developed and approved for the project. The materials are delivered to the project and work commences. The renewable energy company assigns a foreman to the project to supervise the contractors safety and overall quality. Student , facility and visitor security and safety is a top priority on this project, with respect to operating equipment and falling object hazards from the roof. Work is progressing on one roof. At some point, the decision is made to increase the crew size so all three roofs can be installed concurrently, despite the lack of fall prevention and protection equipment and subcontractor employee training. On the middle roof section, the subcontractors foreman is installing solar panels and associated hardware with two helpers. There are only a few linear sections of portable guardrails installed at the front part of the roof. The sides and back of the roof are not protected. Body harnesses and lifelines have been brought up to the roof, but not the cart. It is later discovered the cart was stolen from the site days earlier and no one reported it missing. The project foreman decides to forgo fall protection and finish the installation. After installing some of the last remaining rows of panels, the foreman steps backwards from the row to eyeball the pitch and level of the row. Without paying attention to his surroundings, he walks backwards off the roof edge and falls 18 to a lower level glass atrium that showcases the schools main hallway. Upon striking the atrium, he slides approximately 10 down the pitched atrium to a lower roof section. His fall is witnessed by an entire wing of classrooms in session adjacent to the roof he was working on. Students and teachers summon the schools medical staff and also call 911. They enter through a roof hatch, and treat the foreman. Hes alive and conscious, but has suffered trauma. An ambulance arrives and takes him to a nearby hospital. Miraculously, he has only sustained minor injuries and is discharged the following day. Upon investigating the incident, it is found that the electrical subcontractor lied about the safety training his employees completed, and he cannot produce training records of any kind. The subcontractor is suspended from performing any more work for the renewable energy company.

Case Study

Analysis

Incident Case Study 4

Commercial Solar Panel Installation Project Fall from rooftop Mid-Atlantic US

Incident Analysis

Causal Factors/Observations/Discoveries: Subcontractor Procurement/Training More Focus On Leading Indicators Needed Poor Planning/Communication Failure To Procure And Implement Proper Fall Protection And

Prevention Systems Failure To Conduct Effective JHA Competent Person Not On-Site Willful Disregard For Safety Procedures

Summary

Lessons Learned

Always Conduct Effective JHA at The Earliest Stages of Project And

Develop Safety Plans With Management and Worker Assistance

Authorization and Assignment of Competent and Qualified

Workers

Specific Attention to and Training on OSHAs Fatal/Focus Four

Hazards: Falls; Electrocution; Caught In/Between; Struck By Object

Environmental/Biological Health Hazards

Safety Leaders On-Site

Reference

Materials

and

Resources

Where can you go for more information and resources?

Occupational Safety & Health Agency (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/solar.html

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

http://www.awea.org/ Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

http://www.seia.org/search/safety

Oregon Solar Energies Industries Association- (OSEIA) http://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdf

ClickSafety Online Safety Training www.ClickSafety.com

http://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/solar.htmlhttp://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/solar.htmlhttp://www.awea.org/http://www.awea.org/http://www.awea.org/http://www.seia.org/search/safetyhttp://www.seia.org/search/safetyhttp://www.seia.org/search/safetyhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.coshnetwork.org/sites/default/files/OSEIA_Solar_Safety_12-06.pdfhttp://www.clicksafety.com/

Renewable Energy: Renewing the Commitment to Safety Compliance

THANK YOU!

Questions? Paul Colangelo, STS, CHST National Director of Compliance Programs ClickSafety.com