Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of employees in the offshore wind industry that hold (a) basic safety training and (b) a basic technical training certification in line with the minimum safety training standards for the industry set by the Global Wind Organisation.

It is a legal duty on all employers within the offshore wind industry to provide sufficient information, instruction and training to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of people in their employment and others who may be affected. It is a matter for each individual employer to decide on how that information, instruction and training is provided, commensurate with the risks. Therefore, HSE does not approve the industry training standards nor keep records of the numbers trained under any individual training scheme.

At inspections and during investigations, HSE does make thorough inquiries to ensure that workers who go offshore have received basic safety training prior to going offshore and that this is refreshed on a regular basis. That basic safety training covers the following topics: Marine Safety; Work at Height and Escape and Evacuation; First Aid; Fire Awareness; and Manual Handling. In addition, HSE does make inquiries into ensuring job specific training is provided.