Media releases

Supported by the Energy Institute, SafetyOn provides leadership in health and safety for the onshore wind industry.

Newly appointed as Chair, Heather Chambers brings over 12 years of sector experience to the post. As Head of Health, Safety and Environment at BayWa r.e., Heather oversees the safe operating practices of the global renewable energy developer, helping to shape the clean energy transition with its energy workers at the forefront.

Heather will be supported by Jason Welch who remains as Vice Chair of SafetyOn, having previously been a Leadership Board member for the past three years.

SafetyOn Chair Heather Chambers commented:

“Now in its fourth year, SafetyOn continues to go from strength to strength by driving tangible change in our approach to safety within the sector.

“As more people are set to enter the industry, our mission has never been more important. I look forward to leading this vital work, aiming to embed the highest safety standards across our vibrant sector.”

Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth CEng FEI adds:

“Following pledges to rapidly scale up renewable energy generation post-COP28, onshore wind activity will play a mounting role in the UK’s transition towards our net-zero future.

“As the industry evolves, SafetyOn’s focus on safe operations remains steadfast. With Heather guiding their expanding work streams, I have no doubt SafetyOn will continue to provide industry with the leadership and guidance needed to uphold best practice in the sector.”

SafetyOn comprises 20 Tier 1 members –Banks Renewables, BayWa r.e., Deutsche Windtechnik, EDF Renewables, Enercon, Full Cricle Wind, Fred. Olsen Renewables, GE Renewable Energy, Natural Power, Nordex Group, Renantis, RES, RWE, ScottishPower Renewables, Siemens Gamesa, SSE Renewables, Statkraft, Vattenfall, Ventient Energy and Vestas.

Established in 2019, SafetyOn works to tackle health and safety issues in the industry through four key areas: incident data reporting, good practice guidelines, safe by design and learning from shared incidents.

Utilising data from the Incident Data Report, SafetyOn compiled a four-part video campaign to mitigate the prominent rate of hand injuries in the industry this year. After its integration into training programmes, follow up data suggested a 2% decline in hand injuries despite an increased number of hours worked, underlining the importance of raising awareness. Following this, the campaign won the Scottish Green Energy Award’s Positive Improvement Award and IOSH Scotland’s Campaign of the Year Award.

The 2024 workplan will expand SafetyOn’s impact, focusing in part on improving the visibility of the organisation across the supply chain, as well as continuing established activities such as their annual Incident Data report, safe by design programme and learning initiatives.

Notes for editors

1. For media enquiries and journalist accreditation, contact Sophie Shorthose at 0207 467 7173 or sshorthose@energyinst.org
2. SafetyOn is the health and safety organisation for the Onshore wind sector.
   Providing leadership in health and safety for the dynamic and innovative onshore wind industry, we ensure transparency about the industry’s H&S performance, as well as assisting industry stakeholders to see that key emerging risks are mitigated through co-operation and shared learning.
   Working through the Energy Institute we have established an open network of safety and health experts, professionals and stakeholders to promote a strong, sustainable and continually improving health and safety culture.
   Thousands are employed in the UK’s onshore wind industry, and SafetyOn is playing a part in making sure they go home safe.
3. The Energy Institute (EI) is the chartered professional membership body bringing global energy expertise together.
   We gather and share essential knowledge about energy, provide the skills that are helping us all use it more wisely, and develop the good practice needed to keep it safe and secure.
   We articulate the voice of energy experts, taking the know-how of around 20,000 members and 200 companies from 120 countries to the heart of the public debate.
   And we’re an independent, not-for-profit, safe space for evidence-based collaboration, an honest broker between industry, academia and policy makers.
   The EI is here for anyone who wants to better understand or contribute to the extraordinary energy system on which we all depend.