IQTC Riga

📰 In May, the Global Wind Organisation joined leading developers, vessel operators, turbine manufacturers, and GWO members in Scotland for the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA) Walk-to-Work Interface Standardisation Workshop.

The session centred on strengthening safety and operational practices in Walk-to-Work systems—an essential part of offshore wind operations that allows technicians to move safely between vessels and turbine structures.

⁉️ Why does this matter so much? And where does technician awareness begin? Let’s take a closer look.🔎

ℹ️ A motion-compensated gangway system is a specialized access bridge that allows personnel to safely walk between an offshore vessel and a wind turbine, offshore platform, or other structure while both are moving due to waves, wind, and sea conditions.

Even large vessels constantly move at sea—they roll, pitch, heave, sway, and yaw. A conventional gangway would move with the vessel, making it unsafe or impossible to cross.
A motion-compensated gangway uses:
▫️ Sensors to detect vessel movement in real time.
▫️ Hydraulic or electric actuators to automatically adjust the gangway's position.
▫️ Advanced control systems that keep the gangway's tip stable against the turbine landing platform.

As a result, technicians experience a much more stable walkway, even when the vessel beneath them is moving.

Why it is important in offshore wind
✅ Safer transfers
Reduces the risk of slips, trips, and falls during vessel-to-turbine access.
✅ More working time
Allows transfers in a wider range of sea states than traditional methods.
✅ Greater efficiency
Technicians can move quickly between the vessel and turbine with tools and equipment.
✅ Access to distant wind farms
Essential for modern offshore wind farms located far from shore.

Typical components
🔩 Gangway bridge (usually 15–30+ meters long)
🔩 Motion compensation system
🔩 Control cabin/operator station
🔩 Safety nets and handrails
🔩 Landing and securing mechanism

While technicians are not trained to operate motion-compensated gangways during , the training helps them understand:
👉 Offshore transfer risks
👉 Safe behavior during vessel operations
👉 Emergency procedures
👉 Sea survival techniques
👉 Communication and situational awareness during offshore access activities

For offshore wind technicians, a motion-compensated gangway is essentially a "floating bridge" that automatically compensates for vessel motion, making Walk-to-Work transfers safer, faster, and more reliable.

Get trained | Be aware | Stay safe

💫Don’t miss the GWO training courses with non-expiring certificates in June!

Choose training that works for your career not only today, but for years ahead.
with non-expiring certificates give technicians and industry professionals a long-term advantage — once completed, the certification remains valid without the need for regular renewals or refresher training.🕰️

This means less downtime, lower long-term training costs, and more flexibility for both individuals and companies. It’s a smart investment in professional development that helps you stay qualified and ready for new projects across the wind industry.

💪Build your skills once — and use them throughout your career.

Check our calendar and hurry up to complete your training 👉 https://iqtc-riga.com/calendar/

7 REASONS TO OBTAIN GWO ENHANCED FIRST AID (EFA) TRAINING FOR WIND TURBINE TECHNICIANS
1️⃣ You Learn How to Respond in High-Risk Environments
Wind turbines are challenging workplaces with confined spaces, heights, electrical systems, and remote locations. GWO EFA training prepares technicians to handle serious incidents until professional medical help arrives.
2️⃣ Faster Emergency Response Can Save Lives
In the wind industry, emergency services may take time to reach a turbine or offshore site. Enhanced First Aid skills help workers stabilize injuries, manage trauma, and provide critical care during those first vital minutes.
3️⃣ It Builds Confidence During Emergencies
Knowing what to do in stressful situations reduces panic and improves teamwork. Technicians trained in EFA can react calmly and effectively when colleagues need immediate assistance.
4️⃣ It Supports Safer Worksites
Companies value workers who contribute to a strong safety culture. EFA-trained personnel help create more prepared, safety-focused teams both onshore and offshore.
5️⃣ You Gain Skills Beyond Basic First Aid
GWO EFA goes deeper than standard first aid courses. Participants learn advanced casualty assessment, trauma management, CPR, use of AEDs, handling severe bleeding, spinal injuries, shock, and more.
6️⃣ It Improves Employability in the Wind Industry
Many employers prefer or require technicians with up-to-date safety certifications. GWO EFA can strengthen your CV and open more opportunities in wind turbine operations, maintenance, blade repair, and rope access work.
7️⃣ These Skills Are Valuable Everywhere
Enhanced First Aid knowledge is useful not only at work but also in everyday life. You may one day help a colleague, friend, or family member in a medical emergency.

Invest in skills that protect lives, strengthen your career, and improve safety across the wind industry.

Apply our GWO EFA Initial or Refresher training
👉 Here are details and the application form: https://iqtc-riga.com/product/gwo-efa-enhanced-first-aid/

🥴 Fatigue is a hidden hazard—schedule breaks and rotate tasks to keep alert on site.

⚠️ Fatigue is a hidden hazard in the wind industry because it often builds up silently — reducing concentration, reaction time, and decision-making long before a technician notices it. During work at height, even a small lapse in focus can increase the risk of dropped objects, incorrect PPE use, or delayed rescue response. In wind turbine environments, long shifts, climbing, weather exposure, and demanding tasks can quickly drain physical and mental energy.

👉Review how fatigue can affect you, how to recognize it, and how to stay safe.

Wind Industry News in Numbers — May 2026
🌊 16 MW
China installed the world’s largest floating offshore wind turbine — capable of powering approximately 4,200 homes annually. The project marks another major step for deep-water offshore wind deployment.

🇵🇱 1.5 GW
Construction officially started on Poland’s Baltica 2 offshore wind farm, set to become the country’s largest offshore project once completed.

🇬🇧 20%
Offshore wind supplied nearly one-fifth of the UK’s electricity during 2025, showing how rapidly offshore capacity is becoming a core part of the national energy mix.

👷 40,000 Jobs
The UK offshore wind sector now supports around 40,000 jobs, with demand continuing to grow across installation, service, blade repair, rope access, and grid infrastructure.

⚡ 90+ GW
The UK’s offshore wind project pipeline has now exceeded 90 GW, reinforcing Europe’s long-term commitment to renewable energy expansion.

💶 €2 Billion
Blackstone announced a €2B investment into renewable projects through Eurowind Energy — another sign that global investors continue backing wind energy at scale.

💶 €10 Billion
Qualitas Energy revealed plans to invest more than €10B into renewable energy and storage projects by 2029.

📈 Strong Q1 Results
Major OEMs including Vestas and Nordex reported stronger-than-expected Q1 2026 performance, driven by growing order intake and offshore activity.

🔋 Hybrid Projects Rising
Portugal launched the Iberian Peninsula’s first wind-hydro hybrid project, while battery storage integration continues accelerating worldwide.

🤖 AI Is Driving Energy Demand
AI infrastructure and data centers are becoming one of the fastest-growing drivers for renewable electricity demand — pushing utilities and developers to expand wind and storage capacity faster than expected.

The wind industry continues shifting from rapid growth into full industrial-scale expansion.

📑 In wind turbine blade repair, Peel Ply is a special nylon or polyester fabric applied over wet laminate during the curing process. Once removed, it leaves a clean, textured surface that improves adhesion for secondary bonding, painting, or additional composite layers.

Using peel ply helps technicians save preparation time, reduce contamination, and achieve stronger, more reliable repairs on WTG blades. It is widely used in composite repair procedures because it ensures consistent surface quality and supports long-term structural integrity of the blade.

Explore essential composite materials, repair methods, and hands-on techniques during the GWO Blade Repair Course and build practical skills for professional WTG blade maintenance.

📍 Where to do this: IQTC Training center in Riga.
📅When to do this: June 04–12.

ℹ Learn more about the training and apply on https://iqtc-riga.com/product/gwo-br-blade-repair/.
☎️+371 66 154 330
📧 [email protected] and [email protected].

Blade Repair training | GWO BR course | IQTC GWO Blade Repair Training enables individuals to become proficient specialists in the repair, inspection, and maintenance of wind turbine rotor blades.

ℹ IQTC is supporting 18-22 May 2026!
As a leading training center for rope access technicians and work at height—operating in accordance with European standards, a proud member of IRATA International, and an accredited GWO Training Provider—we cannot stand aside from initiatives like .

Safety at height starts with a mindset. It’s not just about procedures — it’s about responsibility, awareness, and leadership. Our mission is to instill these values in every trainee, helping them not only prevent falls but also become role models and mentors for others in the field.

Every student who trains with us learns to protect themselves and those around them. Because in this profession, safety is never individual—it’s collective.

We invite you to revisit and reflect on the essential principles, practices, and life-saving protocols that guide our industry. These are not just rules — they are the difference between risk and resilience.

A strong professional community is built on shared experience. That’s why your voice matters.
💬 Tell us your story.
Share your lessons, near misses, incidents, or observations — whether firsthand or heard from colleagues. Every experience shared is a chance for someone else to learn, grow, and avoid a mistake.
Take a moment to contribute in the comments below.
🔁 Share this post.
👷 Tag your colleagues and teammates.
Together, we build a safer future for everyone who works at height.

ℹ IRATA Level 3 Technician theory examination is now available in Portuguese (European), Czech, and Persian 🗣.

👉 Remainder:
Level 3 Candidates shall undertake a Theory Examination consisting of 10 questions and be awarded one of the following outcomes for their Examination:
▪️ Greater than or equal to 70% - Pass
▪️ Greater than or equal to 50% but less than 70% - Minor Discrepancy
▪️ Less than 50% - Major Discrepancy

The Theory Examination covers the following subjects:
✔️hazard identification and risk assessment;
✔️selection of access method;
✔️selection of personnel and competence;
✔️safety method statement;
✔️exclusion zones, protection of third parties, and permits to work;
✔️planning for emergencies;
✔️first aid and suspension intolerance;
✔️equipment.

The Theory Examination and practical Assessment are conducted on the same calendar date and are invigilated by an IRATA Assessor.

Examination is available in Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Polish, traditional Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Czech, and Persian.

All about IRATA Assessment day read from our blog https://iqtc-riga.com/irata-assessment-day/

Train in June to build skills and secure your place in this work season.
🔵 Blade Repair Training – GWO BR: 04–12.06
🔵 Basic Safety Training – GWO BST: 10–14.06
🔵 Crane and Hoist Basic User Training – GWO CHBU: 02–03.06, 22–23.06
🔵 Basic Technical Training – GWO BTT: 29.06–02.07
🔵 Advanced Rescue Training – GWO ART: 29.06–01.07
🔵 Slinger Signaller – GWO SLS: 29–30.06

👉 Register now or contact us for more info!
https://iqtc-riga.com/contacts/,
Call us: ☎+371 66 154 330
Or email us: 📧[email protected]


&hoist

Wind Industry News — By the Numbers 🌍⚡
🔵16 MW
China installed one of the world’s most powerful floating offshore wind turbines — a major milestone for floating wind technology.
🔵14%
Revenue growth reported by Vestas in Q1 2026, driven largely by offshore wind activity.
🔵2.76 GW
Massive offshore turbine order secured by Vestas from RWE for the UK’s Norfolk Vanguard projects.
🔵30%
Increase in offshore power generation reported by Ørsted compared to last year.
🔵AUD 124.5 million
New investment announced by the Australian state of Victoria for offshore wind port infrastructure development.
🔵2 GW
Offshore wind auction capacity expected in Australia later this year.
🔵15–16 MW
The new “standard” size range rapidly emerging for next-generation offshore turbines.
🔵1 Key Industry Trend
The wind sector is shifting from simply installing turbines → toward building complete energy ecosystems:
✔ ports
✔ grids
✔ storage
✔ floating foundations
✔ energy security strategies

👉What does this mean?
The global wind industry is entering a new phase of scale, industrialization, and long-term infrastructure growth — especially offshore.