Authorities say a 31-year-old from Manly died Thursday in a construction accident at a wind turbine in central Iowa. Christopher Thompson of Manly was working inside a wind turbine under construction and fell about 40 feet, according to a release from the Story County Sheriff’s Office.
Wind Noise, Health, & Safety
Imagine for a moment that these new studies find no statistically defensible evidence to link infrasound to human ill-health. Will those calling for a moratorium accept the results and declare wind turbines safe (or at least safe enough to lift a ban)? I suspect not. It looks to me as if what they are actually demanding is “proof of safety”, rather than evidence of “acceptable risk”. This is, of course, impossible.
Renewable energy, presented as environmentally friendly and clean, must turn out to be harmful to humans and the environment. There’s an ironic, vindicating righteousness in believing, as intensely as you possibly can, that technology used to reduce environmental impact actually increases it.
It seems to happen with every new technology. It wasn’t so long ago that some people were convinced a photograph could steal your soul. We may read about that now and have a little chuckle, but are we so far removed from the same phenomenon today?
Germany, as it happens, has a very strong culture of benefit sharing. I had a chat to my host about my experience on the outskirts of Ebersheim. She told me about a neighbour in the small town who owns shares in those very turbines, and has been making money off them, and he loves them.
It is understood that the man had been working on the €145m Meenadreen wind farm extension project when the tragedy occurred.
It was during this process that Colin Sinclair’s harness became entangled in the high-speed shaft coupling, causing him to be pulled in towards the shaft.
The family of a commercial diver from Bebington who died on a dive at an off shore wind farm in Germany are demanding answers.
Siemens Windpower A/S and Fluor Ltd were sentenced on Friday and ordered to pay GBP 650,000 (USD 988,000/EUR 876,000) in fines after in 2010 a worker was killed and another seriously injured during the construction of the 500-MW Greater Gabbard wind farm in UK waters.
Two companies have been sentenced after a worker was killed and another seriously injured during construction of an offshore wind farm.
