Training programmes - GWO

C2 Vertical Safety are proud certified GWO members. We offer the standard GWO Basic Safety Training and the GWO Advanced Rescue Training.

Who are the GWOs?

The Global Wind Organization is a non-profit organisation founded and owned by its members - all of whom are leading global wind energy manufacturers and owners/operators.

Our members strive for an injury-free working environment in the wind energy industry and set common international standards for safety training and emergency procedures.

GWO's standard Basic Safety Training

GWO Basic Safety Training is a basic training programme for everyone who works with the design and maintenance of wind turbines, such as wind turbine technicians, repairers, electricians and others. The training ensures that everyone who works with and in a wind turbine has the same basic knowledge - a common minimum level of knowledge, methodology and safety thinking.

BST is a 4-day training programme conducted according to the international GWO standard. The training is an important and necessary step to increase safety and reduce risks when working in wind turbines.

The training is carried out in warm indoor premises during all months of the year. Experienced and well-trained instructors from C2 Vertical Training lead the training. Completed and approved training provides an international certificate according to the GWO standard.

Examination takes place through both practical and oral exercises; continuous evaluation of the student takes place during the course days. In case of uncertainty, the student has the right to appeal the evaluation. This must be done in writing to the Training Manager.

BST includes the following modules

Manual handling
Fire awareness
First aid
Working at height

These modules can be booked separately if desired.

We offer the possibility to buy personal protective equipment during the course.

Requirements for carrying out the training programmes:

All pupils must sign a health declaration.

Basic training courses we offer

BST
Includes the GWO Basic Safety Training modules Manual handling, Fire awareness, First aid and Working at height. The training lasts 4 days.
BST Refresh
BST Refresh is a refresher course to maintain your licence. Includes the modules Manual handling, Fire awareness, First aid and Working at height. The training lasts 2½ days.

Advanced training programmes - GWO Advanced Rescue Training

GWO-ART/SART is an advanced training programme for wind energy technicians, repairers, electricians and others. ART builds on the knowledge and skills from GWO-BST (Basic Safety Training) and is for personnel who need or are selected by their employer to perform or lead an advanced rescue operation. The training is a key measure to increase safety and reduce risks when working on wind turbines.

Requirements for carrying out the training programmes:

Valid GWO Basic Safety Training certificate (BST)
Before starting the programme, all students must sign a health declaration.

Postgraduate programmes we offer

GWO-ART COMBINED
ART COMBINED is a 3-day training programme conducted in accordance with the international GWO standard. By performing all the ART/SART modules at the same time, the time spent can be reduced by one day compared to performing the modules separately.
GWO-ART-H
ART-H: Hub spinner inside blade rescue(HSIBR). The course element provides knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to participate or lead a rescue operation from the Hub, spinner or inside the wind turbine blade. The course element covers one day.
GWO-ART-HR Refresher
ART-H: Hub spinner inside blade rescue(HSIBR). The course element updates knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to participate or lead a rescue operation from the Hub, spinner or inside the wind turbine blade. The course element covers one day.
GWO-ART-N
ART-N: Nacelle Tower Basement rescue (NTBR). The course element provides knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to participate or lead a rescue operation from the Nacelle, tower or basement. The course covers two days.
GWO-ART-NR Refresher
ART-N: Nacelle Tower Basement rescue (NTBR). The course updates knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to participate or lead a rescue operation from a Nacelle, tower or basement. The course covers two days.
SART-N
SART-N: Nacelle Tower Basement rescue (NTBR)The course element provides knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to perform a rescue alone from the Nacelle, tower and basement. There is no requirement for regular refresher training on this module but some people choose to do it anyway. The course element covers half a day.
SART-H
SART-H: Hub spinner inside blade rescue(HSIBR). The course element provides knowledge and skills beyond GWO work at height to be able to participate or lead a group rescue operation from the hub, spinner or inside the wind turbine blade. There is no requirement for regular refresher training on this module but some people choose to do it anyway. The course element covers half a day.

Why use GWO-certified companies?

Members of GWO-certified companies strive for an injury-free working environment in the wind energy industry and set common international standards for safety training and emergency procedures.

Some benefits of the GWO standards

Eight out of ten members agree that the GWO has raised safety training standards in the industry.
GWO technicians are available up to 6 days more each year than staff trained outside of the GWO framework agreement.
GWO has become a contractual expectation up and down the supply chain.

How does the GWO standard work?

GWO members create training standards that reflect the risks their technicians face at work
Training providers, certified according to GWO criteria, provide the training.
Employers accept the training of GWO-certified technicians, wherever they were trained.
Employers avoid duplicating training and technologies are available for more productive working days on site.

Enhanced First Aid

We can now deliver the GWO advanced medical training programme "Enhanced First Aid". After completing the training, the participant will be able to administer safe, effective and immediate life-saving first aid measures. The participant will gain the knowledge to administer and manage advanced emergency equipment and medicine via medical teleconsultation. The programme is aimed at technicians working in remote areas where traditional rescue assistance is not available within a reasonable time.

The programme is currently available in two versions.

Only EFA where participants, after completing the 3-day training programme, become certified in GWO/Winda.
EFA/Lifelink: EFA 3 days + 1 day Telemedicine. With our partner Lifelink On Call.
Ability to act according to EFA in case of incident or emergency. Via medical advice on link and with proper medical equipment according to GWO/EFA.
Also offered with the addition of +1 day of extra scenario training.

History of GWO

The GWO was formed in 2009 by a number of the world's major wind energy companies, turbine manufacturers and owners to promote a safe working environment in the construction and operation of wind turbines. Training courses must meet the requirements stipulated in the "Global Wind Organisation Standard, Basic Safety Training". GWO published the first version of the Basic Safety Training (BST) standard in 2012 in response to the demand for an identifiable standard in the wind energy industry. The work to create this common standard for basic safety training was presented in March 2012 at four seminars in Copenhagen, London, Hamburg and Bilbao. GWO member companies and their subcontractors were then given one year to provide all training in accordance with this standard. This was followed by the Basic Technical Training (BTT) standard in 2017.

The GWO has since launched a range of other training standards that align employers' requirements for workers performing different roles in the wind energy industry.

GWO strives to deliver outcomes that contribute to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education, target 4.4. As a contribution to SDG 4.4, GWO seeks on behalf of its members to significantly increase the number of wind technicians, who have GWO standardised training as a key factor in their mission to create an injury-free working environment in wind.