Vestas Confidential Health and Safety Instruction manual for a Falmouth MA wind farm

Vestas Confidential Health and Safety Instruction manual for a Falmouth MA wind farm 2006-11-06

“it is indefensible, from a safety perspective alone, to specify in a wind ordinance designed to protect the public health, safety and welfare a setback that is less than 1640 feet. “

WIND TURBINE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

2013/07/vestas -nordex.pdf

Vestas is one of the leading wind turbine manufacturers, with approximately 70% market share worldwide.

Based on its prominence in the world market, the Vestas Safety
Manual (32 pages) is a credible source of safety information. Nordex is another well know manufacturer of wind turbines. Its Safety Manual (130 pages) likewise is considered a credible source of information on the subject of safety.

Vestas Confidential- Falmouth Health and Safety Instructions Date 2006-11-06

Vestas advises to “evacuate by running upwind …access to the surrounding area in a radius of at least 500 meters [1640 ft.] must be restricted.”

On page 3 of the Vestas Safety Regulations for Operators and Technicians Manual, point

# 2. – Stay and Traffic by the Turbine, Vestas personnel are instructed to stay away from a turbine by 400 m (1312 ft) unless it is necessary.

Taken in context, this distance would apply to normal operating conditions. (See Exhibit 1)

Under abnormal operating conditions, Vestas expands this distance in consideration of the safety of its employees.

This is evidenced by the Vestas Confidential Health and Safety Instruction manual for a Falmouth MA wind farm. Page 10 of this manual addresses the situation of a free spinning “runaway turbine”.

In that manual, instructions are for no one to be allowed within a 1640 feet (500 m) radius. (See Exhibit 2)

DANGER FALLING TURBINE PARTS

In case of a fire in the nacelle or on the rotor, parts may fall off the wind turbine. In case of a fire, nobody is permitted within a radius of 500 m from the turbine.

(See Exhibit 3) Given that these standards apply to employees who are familiar with the safety implications of wind turbines and are equipped to deal with abnormal conditions, it is indefensible, from a safety perspective alone, to specify in a wind ordinance designed to protect the public health, safety and welfare a setback that is less than 1640 feet.

Click on the link below to see Exhibit 2, Vestas-Falmouth Confidential Health and Safety Instruction Date 2006-11-06

http://northeastwindmills.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/vestas-nordex.pdf

Note # MTC, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, took delivery of the V82 turbines in September, 2006 and warehoused them in Houston, TX at storage fees as high as $3,000 a month. They eventually found a ‘home’ — in Falmouth, MA

The MTC, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative today is called the MassCEC, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center