Course duration: 2 days

The aim of the GWO Working at Heights training is to comprehensively prepare participants to safely perform their professional duties at heights within wind turbine infrastructure. The main objective of the program, based on the rigorous guidelines of the Global Wind Organisation, is to transfer knowledge and develop practical skills in the correct use of personal fall protection equipment, turbine evacuation systems, and safe work positioning techniques. The participant acquires key competencies enabling accurate hazard identification, precise risk assessment, and the effective execution of rescue procedures in a high-risk environment.

Requirements:

• valid identity document (ID card/passport/mObywatel)

• work clothing, work gloves, safety footwear

The course price includes:

• WINDA system registration fee

• lunch

• coffee / tea

• insurance

• free parking

Additional fees:

• no

Certificate validity:

• 2 years

Course program:

The training focuses on strict procedures and the operation of safety equipment:

• Legal basis and hazard awareness – identification of risks associated with working on a wind turbine. Understanding the physics of a fall and the deadly phenomenon of suspension trauma.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – correct fitting, donning, and rigorous inspection of harnesses, shock-absorbing lanyards, carabiners, and helmets.

• Safe climbing and positioning – moving on ladders inside the tower using vertical fall arrest systems. Principles of stable positioning, allowing for safe work with both hands.

• Evacuation systems – design and operation of specialized, automatic descent devices used to evacuate the nacelle in the event of a fire.

• Rescue procedures – advanced release techniques. Rescuing an unconscious casualty suspended on a lanyard or fall arrest system (e.g., on a ladder) and safely lowering them to a working platform.

Accreditation: Global Wind Organisation (GWO)

What will you learn?

During the training, participants will acquire specialized knowledge and skills in:

• Proper identification, selection, pre-use inspection, and safe application of personal protective equipment (PPE) protecting against falls from a height.

• Using fall arrest systems and work positioning techniques.

• Operating certified evacuation devices, with particular emphasis on safely lowering oneself from a height (e.g., from a turbine nacelle).

• Conducting organized rescue operations in a wind turbine environment, including the safe evacuation of a casualty from a ladder using standard rescue equipment.

• Recognizing specific hazards associated with working on large-scale wind structures and preventing incidents during operational tasks.

What does the training look like?

The training focuses on building muscle memory and maximum realism:

• Essential theory: short introductory sessions discussing equipment parameters and raising awareness of the physiological effects of a fall from a height.

• Practical training: takes place in the training hall. Trainees practice climbing, hanging, and positioning in harnesses, and repeatedly perform evacuation and rescue descents.

Confirmation of course completion:

The basis for passing is a system of continuous assessment conducted by certified GWO instructors during exercises at the training facility. The course ends with a theoretical knowledge check and the final passing of a rescue scenario.

Upon successful completion, the participant obtains the GWO Working at Heights certificate. The qualifications are immediately registered and made available globally in the WINDA database, which serves as a passport to work for any major wind farm developer and operator in the world. The certificate remains valid for 2 years (after this period, a short refresher course is required – GWO WAH Refresher).

Where does the training take place, and is there parking?

Attendance confirmation takes place in Gdynia at 13A Polska Street. Free parking is located at 6 Chrzanowskiego Street. The barrier code is provided by the secretariat staff upon confirmation of the course. The training takes place in Gdynia at 13 Wiśniewskiego Street – where there is also free parking.