Meet the Expert event materials – Health & Safety (Wales) with Watson Ord Renewables

In an industry involving high-risk environments and operations, health and safety for marine renewable energy is an essential aspect of the sector. As part of the Meet the Expert series, the Selkie project hosted two sessions looking at the health and safety considerations for developments across both Wales and Ireland.

In the morning session, Selkie was delighted to introduce Health & Safety expert, Ian Ord of Watson Ord Renewables. After gaining over 20 years’ experience in the wind industry, Ian Ord has an in-depth understanding of the industry needs and provides invaluable safety support to the growing offshore renewables industries. As a specialist health & safety consultancy, Watson Ord Renewables work in partnership with Setters under the banner Renewables@Setters. The two companies provide a balanced approach to safety improvement and training with a key ethos of Safety = Systems + People.

Reviewing the necessary steps and considerations in project risk management, Ian Ord gave a fantastic presentation outlining all aspects of health & safety planning stages. From initial risk management and assessment of project designs to implementation plans for project construction and operation, this was a thorough overview of the requirements to be undertaken for marine energy developments.

Interesting discussions also arose during the Q&A session surrounding legal frameworks and how these should be incorporated into H&S plans. Ian emphasised the importance of understanding local standards as well as referring to international methods of best practice. Key advice was to develop a legal register (detailing all the necessary local and national requirements) and cross reference the details with the project risk register to ensure compliance throughout the project lifetime.

The primary takeaway from the session was to ensure proactivity before any event. Carrying out in-depth risk assessments at early stages will help to identify hazards, determine risks and allow for the introduction of appropriate control measures and therefore a safe system of work.

Overall, the session was a brilliant overview of H&S considerations for marine energy projects and was a great chance for participants to gain direct advice from an expert in the field. For more information on health and safety within the renewables sector, please get in touch with Watson Ord Renewables through their website here.

To access the recording of the event please see the video above and download the session presentation here.

If you would like to register for our upcoming sessions in the Meet the Expert series, please view our scheduled events and book your place at future sessions here.

For further information on the Selkie project and network, get in touch with sophie@mentermon.com to find out how the Selkie project may be able to support your business in the marine energy industry.