Management of Fatigue, Safety Challenges Encountered by Technicians and Engineers and enhancing their performance at Offshore Wind Farms.

将技术人员运送和转移到距海岸不同距离的海上风电场，并将他们送回基地，会产生不同的人为因素挑战。海上风电运维技术人员经常暴露在具有挑战性的环境和工作条件下，疲劳是最重要的课题之一，需要进一步研究，因为目前的知识非常有限。G+全球海上风电健康与安全组织在其2019年海上风电事故数据报告中指出，随着全球装机容量的增加，以及全球劳动力的增长，海上风电场工人面临的潜在风险一直在增加。同一份报告强调了海上风电工人的“总可记录伤害率（TRIR）”和“损失时间伤害频率（LTIF）”的显着增加。这是非常令人担忧的，因为海上风电行业的LTIRF为2.77，而整个海上行业（包括石油和天然气）为0.52。同样，海上风电行业的TRIR为2.77，而整个海上风电行业为1.69（包括石油和天然气）。被运送到海上风电场进行安装和O&M活动的技术人员和工程师面临不同的危险，例如：- 提升操作-入口/出口-手动搬运-日常维护-手动工具/电动工具（工作）-高空工作-船舶操作（包括自升式平台和驳船）-操作装置和机械-通过船员转移船运输在英国健康与安全执行局（HSE）最近组织的一次研讨会上，强调了疲劳与认知功能下降（如反应较慢、处理信息的能力、记忆丧失）之间的联系，心不在焉的滑倒和缺乏注意力。这可能会导致事故和伤害等不良后果，并对健康产生影响。此外，这也可能会显著影响生产力。它还强调，目前，海上部门没有建立指导方针，不像其他部门（如航空，铁路等），以衡量，记录或评估认知或身体疲劳。在同一次研讨会上，支持这些政策的知识差距被确定为：- 疲劳和心理健康-轮班前和轮班后的影响-轮班模式-海上住宿-转移模式-工作类型在海上风电行业，知识差距甚至更大，因为该行业最近才开始经历真实的操作挑战，这些挑战将危及工人的安全，同时阻止海上涡轮机发电。考虑到整个运营阶段，为海上风电场工人制定疲劳和绩效管理策略。具体目标-确定海上风电场技术人员是否会感到疲劳，以及是否会影响他们的表现以及他们的健康和福祉。调查不利的环境条件如何影响技术人员在运输到海上风电场;执行任务;工作后运输到海岸或陆上基地，以及这些不利条件对他们的安全，健康和福祉的影响。确定工作轮班的开始时间，长度和加班对技术人员绩效的影响，包括工程师的决策过程。整理有关技术人员经历的任何工伤、未遂事故或事故的数据。通过考虑不同的环境、任务、运输和住宿因素，为海上风电场工人开发综合疲劳、安全和绩效管理模型，以确定最佳的O&M策略，同时考虑工人的安全、疲劳健康和绩效。

Transporting and transferring the technicians to offshore wind farms, which are located in varying distances from shore, and returning them to the base, create different human factors challenges. Fatigue, experienced by the offshore O&M technicians, who are exposed to challenging environmental and working conditions, is one of the most important topics which requires further studies because the current knowledge is very limited.G+ Global Offshore Wind Health & Safety Organisation indicated in their 2019 Offshore Wind Accident data report that as installed capacity increases around the world, and the global workforce grows, the potential exposure of the offshore wind farmworkers to the risk has been increasing. The same report highlighted a significant increase in 'Total recordable injury rate (TRIR)' and 'Lost time injury frequency (LTIF)' among the offshore wind workers. This is significantly worrying as LTIRF in Offshore Wind Industry is 2.77 compared to 0.52 in the whole offshore industry (including oil and gas). Similarly, TRIR for Offshore Wind industry is 2.77 compared to 1.69 in whole offshore industry (incl. oil & gas). Technicians and engineers who have been transported to the offshore wind farms to perform installation and O&M activities are exposed to different hazards, such as:-Lifting operations-Access/egress-Manual handling-Routine maintenance-Hand tools/power-tools (working with)-Working at heights-Vessel operation (including jackups and barges)-Operating plant and machinery-Transit by Crew Transfer VesselsIn a recent workshop organised by UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was highlighted that there is an established link between fatigue and reduced cognitive functions such as slower reactions, ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-minded slips and lack of attention. This can result in adverse consequences such as accidents and injuries as well as having an impact on health. Furthermore, this may also significantly influence productivity.It also highlighted that currently, the offshore sector does not have established guidelines, unlike other sectors (e.g. aviation, rail etc) to measure, record or assess cognitive or physical fatigue. In the same workshop, the knowledge gaps to support the policies were identified as:-Fatigue & mental health-Pre and post-shift influences-Shift patterns-Accommodation offshore-Mode of transfer-Type of workIn the offshore wind sector, the knowledge gap is even wider as the industry has only recently started experiencing real operational challenges that will risk worker's safety while preventing electricity production from offshore turbines.The main aim of this PhD study is to develop an integrated safety, fatigue and performance management strategy for offshore wind farm workers by taking into account the whole stages of the operations.Specific objectives-To determine including the underlying reasons whether offshore wind farm technicians experience fatigue and whether it affects their performance as well as their health and wellbeing.-To investigate how adverse environmental conditions affect technicians during transportation to the offshore wind farms; performing their tasks; post-work transportation to the shore or onshore base, and in addition the effect of these adverse conditions on their safety, health and wellbeing.-To determine the effect of work shifts in terms of starting time, length and overtime on technicians' performance, including the decision making process for engineers.-To collate data about any work-related injuries, near misses or accidents the technicians experienced.-To develop integrated fatigue, safety and performance management model for offshore wind farm workers by taking varying environmental, task and transport and accommodation factors to identify the most optimum O&M strategies by taking into account, safety, fatigue wellbeing of workers and performance.