G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation recorded 256 ‘high-potential incidents’ in its annual data report, launched at the Global Offshore Wind 2019 event (25-26 June) in London.
The watchdog said the figures suggest the offshore wind sector’s health and safety performance is improving.
An improved safety culture, better technology and a continuous improvement of working methods drove the change, G+ added.
Lifting operations and marine operations remain the processes most likely to result in a ‘high potential incident’, according to the watchdog, which counts leading developers as members.
Such incidents were also more likely to take place on board vessels and on turbines rather than onshore, it added.
The number of injuries recorded that required medical treatment fell 42% year on year to 45 in 2018, G+’s report showed.
In total, 39 'lost work day incidents' - in which a 'high-potential incident' results in a person having to miss at least one day due to injury - were recorded last year, down 20% from 2017. Meanwhile, 33 'restricted work day incidents' - in which a 'high-potential incident' results in a person being unable to perform a regular job one at least one day due to injury - were recorded in 2018, up 10% from the previous year.
These changes came as the total number of hours worked fell 4% to 25,709,000 to the nearest 10,000.
However, the number of injuries causing lost time fell more sharply, reflecting improved safety performance, G+ noted.
The total recordable injury rate – the number of working days lost or restricted plus the number of injuries requiring medical treatment per 1 million hours worked – fell 22% year on year to 4.55.
As was the case , no fatalities were recorded in the offshore wind sector last year.
Paul Cowling, G+ chairman and director of offshore wind at Innogy, said transferring knowledge about health and safety and increasing collaboration with other organisations as the offshore wind sector moves into new markets are key aims for the group.
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