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Health & Safety

Lessons Learnt Database

BWEA has shown that by recording details of accidents, incidents and "near events" across the wind industry in all phases of a project from development activity, construction and then operations, it is possible to learn important lessons and implement measures to improve health and safety performance

As a trade association BWEA is taking the lead in collating data on a non-attributable basis and sharing the lessons learned with participating member companies. Quarterly reports provide analysis of recent experiences and trends with time specific to the wind industry. The collective view enables common activities and hazards to be identified and underlying causes human, organisational and technical causes to be examined. Attention is paid not just to what happened but also to impact potential in order that the true significance is understood.

The lessons learned are accessible to those companies prepared to submit accident, incident and "near event" data on a non attributable basis. Client companies who have ultimate H&S responsibility for their projects have taken the lead in contributing to the database and are requiring their contractors to report fully to them all accidents, incidents and "near events". Based on information exchange at the BWEA Health & Safety Seminar, manufacturers and contracting companies are signing up to the database in order that they can benefit directly and act on the lessons learned.

The data held in the database is subject to confidentiality agreements between participants and BWEA. An executed copy of this standard agreement must be in place before data is submitted or lessons learned reports are received.

Information is submitted to the database in a standard format. This can be done by completing an incident notice which should be emailed to the dedicated email address:

Download a copy of the Incident Notice (Word format):

It should be noted that reporting to this Database does not absolve companies of any duty to report to the relevant authorities as required under statutory regulations and obligations.

Safety Alerts

Safety Alerts are available to all BWEA members, irrespective of participation in the lessons learned database, because of the gravity of the issues they address. Safety Alerts concern incidents / accidents or near events which may have been unforeseeable and which have significant potential, where BWEA member companies need to be warned to take steps to avoid similar problems in their own operations.

Significant safety issues that may give rise to a Safety Alert can be notified to BWEA via incident@renewable-uk.com.

The information may be provided in any form but could be an in-house safety alert. The information should outline the incident and set out initial lessons learned.