Health and Safety
Our Commitment to Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE)
At SouthCoast Wind, we are committed to treating our people, contractors, community, and environment with care. We believe that all safety and environmental incidents can be prevented. Safety is a deeply held value and Zero Harm is our vision for causing no harm to people and the environment. To prevent significant incidents, we must ensure our operations are inherently safe and reliable. As a responsible business and as a good neighbor, we are committed to making this ambition a reality.
HSSE Policy
SouthCoast Wind’s HSSE Manager working on Buzzard Bay Area’s Habitat for Humanity passive home build in Westport, MA
SouthCoast Wind will:
- Provide a systematic approach to Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) & Social Performance (SP) management designed to ensure compliance with applicable law and to achieve continuous performance improvement;
- Commit to conduct all operations in a safe and diligent manner;
- Commit to reduce the HSSE & SP risks associated with operations; and
- Provide any necessary measures or plans to address emergency events.
To manage risks, SouthCoast Wind:
- Sets targets for improvement and measure, appraise, and monthly performance reporting;
- Requires contractors to manage HSSE risks in line with the HSSE & SP policies of SouthCoast Wind;
- Ensures that HSSE & SP is the responsibility of all managers, teams and individuals;
- Provides proactive and respectful engagement with neighbors and impacted communities;
- Permits any individual to stop any work, or prevent any work from starting, where adequate controls of HSSE & SP risks are found not to be in place or are ineffective;
- Includes HSSE performance in the appraisal of operating staff and contractors and rewards them accordingly; and
- Applies the Life-Saving Rules for all work activities.
Life-Saving Rules
SouthCoast Wind recognizes the value of providing clear, simple, and consistent information regarding risks in the workplace and the proper use of barriers and safeguards to protect the workforce. To provide greater clarity and effectiveness, SouthCoast Wind employs the industry standard Life-Saving Rules. Employees and Contractors and expected to know when and how the Life-Saving Rules apply and the actions they can take to protect themselves and their colleagues.
These rules focus on the activities which, through rigorous data analysis, have been shown to most likely result in fatalities. Each rule consists of an icon and simple life-saving actions individuals can take to prevent a work-related fatality. The Life-Saving Rules exist in order to do exactly what they say: save lives!.
Click or hover over a Life-Saving Rule to read the rule.
BYPASSING SAFETY CONTROLS
Obtain authorization before overriding or disabling safety controls
- I understand and use safety-critical equipment and procedures which apply to my task
- I obtain authorization before:
- Disabling or overriding safety equipment
- Deviating from procedures
- Crossing a barrier
CONFINED SPACE
Obtain authorization before entering a confined space
- I confirm energy sources are isolated
- I confirm the atmosphere has been tested and is monitored
- I check and use my breathing apparatus when required
- I confirm there is an attendant standing by
- I confirm a rescue plan is in place
- I obtain authorization to enter
DRIVING
Follow safe driving rules
- I always wear a seatbelt
- I do not exceed the speed limit, and reduce my speed for road conditions
- I do not use phones or operate devices while driving
- I am fit, rested and fully alert while driving
- I follow journey management requirements
ENERGY ISOLATION
Verify isolation and zero energy before work begins
- I have identified all energy sources
- I confirm that hazardous energy sources have been isolated, locked and tagged
- I have checked there is zero energy and tested for residual or stored energy
HOT WORK
Control flammables and ignition sources
- I identify and control ignition sources
- Before starting any hot work:
- I confirm flammable material has been removed or isolated
- I obtain authorization
- Before starting hot work in a hazardous area, I confirm:
- A gas test has been completed
- Gas will be monitored continually
LINE OF FIRE
Keep yourself and others out of the line of fire
- I position myself to avoid:
- Moving objects
- Vehicles
- Pressure releases
- Dropped objects
- I establish and obey barriers and exclusion zones
- I take action to secure loose objects and report potential dropped objects
SAFE MECHANICAL LIFTING
Plan lifting operations and control the area
- I confirm that the equipment and load have been inspected and are fit for purpose
- I only operate equipment that I am qualified to use
- I establish and obey barriers and exclusion zones
- I never walk under a suspended load
WORK AUTHORIZATION
Work with a valid permit when required
- I have confirmed if a permit is required
- I am authorized to perform the work
- I understand the permit
- I have confirmed that hazards are controlled and it is safe to start
- I stop and reassess if conditions change
WORKING AT HEIGHT
Protect yourself against a fall when working at height
- I inspect my fall protection equipment before use
- I secure tools and work materials to prevent dropped objects
- I tie off 100% to approved anchor points while outside a protected area
A strong commitment to safety
SouthCoast Wind draws from the deep experience and skills of its sponsor companies in safely constructing and operating energy generation and transmission facilities. Safety is our core value, and we are committed to treating our people, communities, and the environment with care.
SouthCoast Wind uses a systematic approach of measuring, appraising, and reporting our performance to ensure compliance with legal requirements, industry standards and to achieve continuous health, safety, and environmental improvements.
While we will examine the safety of all aspects of the project, one topic of community interest is electro-magnetic fields (EMF). We hired an expert consultant, Gradient, to study the potential EMF effects of the cable. They found that there are no safety risks and SouthCoast Wind’s electric cables will operate well below established health guidelines.
Gradient technical reports
Brayton Point Project – Massachusetts
Brayton Point Project – Rhode Island