April 1, 2017
Scotland

Windfarm worker plunges to his death from turbine near Glasgow just weeks after similar tragedy in Ayrshire

By Paul Ward | Daily Record | 31 Mar 2017 | www.dailyrecord.co.uk

A second worker has died after falling from a turbine at a Scots windfarm just weeks after a similar fatal accident.

The Spanish man’s death at the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, in East Renfrewshire, happened on Wednesday and follows the death of a Portuguese worker in Ayrshire on March 15.

The 25-year-old Spaniard was pronounced dead at Whitelee Windfarm, near Eaglesham.

The turbine is understood to have been undergoing maintenance at the time.

A Scottish Power spokesman said: “We can confirm that there was an incident this week at Whitelee Windfarm.

“Our thoughts go out to the family of the person involved.”

The wind farm is owned by Scottish Power but maintenance on its 215 turbines, which are between 360ft and 440ft tall, is carried out by GE.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “At around 10.10am, police and emergency services responded to reports of a 25-year-old man having fallen from a turbine at the Whitelee Windfarm.

“He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigations are at an early stage and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed.

On Monday the Portuguese worker who died in a fall inside an under-construction wind turbine was been named by police.

Antonio Joao Da Silva Linares, from Portugal, died in the incident at ScottishPower’s Kilgallioch Windfarm in South Ayrshire on March 15.

The 37-year-old was working for contractor Gamesa, which is investigating the circumstances along with Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive.

Work at the 96-turbine construction site was stopped after the death.

A Gamesa spokesman said: “Gamesa is conducting a thorough investigation together with the authorities to establish the root cause of this fatal accident.

“Work at the wind farm has been stopped while the investigation takes place.

“We are very saddened and our thoughts go to the family of the employee.”

The wind farm is set to be operational later this year.

A ScottishPower Renewables spokesman said: “A full investigation is now under way by the police and the Health and Safety Executive. ScottishPower Renewables will support and co-operate fully with these investigations.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the technician involved in the incident.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/04/01/windfarm-worker-plunges-to-his-death-from-turbine-near-glasgow-just-weeks-after-similar-tragedy-in-ayrshire/