Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Machine Guarding
*
The production of a wind turbine involves thousands of parts—gears, blades,
and many other such parts. Manufacturing wind turbines, therefore, will involve
machines of various configurations that may expose workers to hazards of mov-
ing parts of the machines if they are not safeguarded properly. Additionally, the
moving parts associated with the turbine, if not guarded properly, may have the
potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands,
amputations, burns, or blindness. Employers must ensure that the workers are pro-
tected from the machine hazards, and workers should make sure that the rotating
parts and points of operation machines are properly guarded prior to using them.
Respiratory Protection
†
Manufacturing turbine blades involve operations such as buffing and resurfacing,
which may expose workers to harmful gases, vapors, and dusts. Workers must be
protected from the inhalation hazards through the use of ventilation. If the ventila-
tion alone is not adequate, then workers may also need to use appropriate respira-
tors. The use of respirators may give a false sense of security, and workers should
understand the limitations of the respirators. For example, during heavy exertion
the respirator seal is often compromised, which allows the chemical to enter the
breathing zone (without being filtered) through the gaps between the respirator
and the face. In such situations, a worker who is not adequately trained may think
that he or she is being protected. It is therefore essential for workers to be provided
training in the proper use of respirators. In addition, they must be trained on the
proper storage and maintenance of respirators.
WIND POWER: THE BOTTOM LINE
Technology is much more advanced today in utilizing our wind resource, and the
United States is home to one of the best wind resource areas in the world: the
Midwest states of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Iowa,
and Oklahoma (Archer and Jacobson, 2004). However, as with any other source of
energy, nonrenewable or renewable, there are advantages and disadvantages asso-
ciated with their use. On the positive side, it should be noted that wind energy is a
free, renewable resource, so no matter how much is used today there will still be
the same supply in the future. Wind energy is also a source of clean, non-polluting
electricity. Wind turbines can be installed on farms or ranches, thus benefiting the
economy in rural areas, where most of the best wind sites are found. Moreover,
farmers and ranchers can continue to work the land because the wind turbines use
only a fraction of the land—the height and distance between turbines mean that
land used for wind turbines can also be used for agriculture and grazing; only
*
Adapted from OSHA's
Green Job Hazards: Wind Energy—Machine Guarding
,
http://www.osha.gov/
†
Adapted from OSHA's
Green Job Hazards: Wind Energy—Respiratory Protection
,
http://www.osha.
