GWO Working At Height
The GWO Working at Height (WAH) Initial course provides wind industry personnel with the essential knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to work safely at height and perform emergency rescues in wind turbine generator (WTG) environments. Delivered under the revised GWO BST V20 Standard as a dedicated 2-day standalone module, this course combines comprehensive Personal Fall Protective Equipment (PFPE) inspection and fitting with realistic vertical climbing, work positioning, and casualty rescue drills.
Description
This intensive 2-day course equips delegates with the practical competencies required to prevent falls, manage height-related risks, and execute emergency evacuation and rescue procedures in remote onshore and offshore turbine settings.
Key training elements include:
- PFPE Inspection & Fitting: Pre-use checking, adjusting, and maintaining full-body harnesses, work positioning lanyards, guided fall arrest sliders, and energy-absorbing lanyards under the GWO generic equipment approach.
- Fall Prevention & Work Positioning: Applying the hierarchy of fall protection, securing work positioning lanyards to maintain hands-free working security, and selecting certified structural anchor points (including designated reinforced ladder rungs).
- Vertical Ladder Progression: Attaching, functional testing, and climbing with guided-type fall arresters on cable, rail, and wire systems, as well as double-hook climbing techniques that minimise the fall factor.
- Dropped Objects Mitigation: Securing tools and equipment using approved tethering attachments, operating in exclusion drop zones, and conducting mandatory pre-climb buddy checks. Emergency
- Evacuation & Rescue: Safe rigging and deployment of constant-rate descender evacuation devices, recognizing suspension trauma risks, and executing single-rescuer ladder retrieval scenarios in active and passive setups.
Certification and Assessment
Certification: Global Wind Organisation (GWO) Working at Height (WAH) Certification.
Validity: Valid globally for 24 months (2 years).
Assessment: Delegates are continuously assessed through direct instructor observation during practical climbing, equipment inspection, and casualty rescue scenarios. Revalidation is achieved by completing the 1-day GWO Working at Height Refresher (WAHR) prior to certificate expiry.
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Certification: Global Wind Organisation (GWO) Working at Height (WAH) Certificate.
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Validity: Valid globally for 24 months (2 years).
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Assessment: Delegates are continuously assessed through direct instructor observation during practical climbing, equipment inspection, and casualty rescue scenarios. Revalidation is achieved by completing the 1-day GWO Working at Height Refresher (WAHR) prior to certificate expiry.
Entry Requirements and Target Audience
Target Audience: Prospective and current wind turbine technicians, mechanical and electrical maintenance engineers, blade repair specialists, site managers, and rope access operatives requiring mandatory height safety certification for wind energy sites.
Physical Aptitude: Practical exercises involve physical climbing, vertical ascents, descents, and casualty recovery drills from height structures. Delegates must be capable of physical exertion and comfortable functioning at height (this course is designed for safety training and does not test for or overcome fear of heights).
Prerequisites
Age: Minimum 18 years of age.
Medical Fitness: Candidates must be medically fit to participate in working-at-height practical training and complete a medical self-screening declaration prior to commencing the course.
WINDA Registration: Delegates must hold an active WINDA ID registered on the Global Wind Organisation database (winda.globalwindsafety.org) prior to arrival to enable certificate upload.
Prior Qualifications: No previous height safety experience or formal qualifications are required for this initial 2-day course.
Why Choose South West Maritime Academy?
Purpose Built Vertical Training Rigs: Practical exercises are conducted on dedicated, purpose-built tower structures at our Cromhall Quarry site, replicating the ladder geometries, cable/rail slider systems, and confined working platforms encountered in real wind turbines.
Expert Offshore & Height Instructors: Our training is delivered by seasoned industry professionals who are experts in offshore, marine, and emergency rescue safety training.
Rapid WINDA Uploads: Official certification records are verified and uploaded to the GWO WINDA after course completion to ensure uninterrupted site access.
Convenient Location: Situated just off Junction 14 of the M5 in South Gloucestershire, offering on-site parking, modern classroom facilities, and close proximity to local accommodation options.