Weather data and O&M intelligence are key to design, management and safety through all stages of a Solar project life cycle. Fundamentally, the systems are tied to the weather and the larger the supply chain gets, the more vulnerable projects and power supplies are.
With the increased growth of these systems and their % share of the Grid, the need for the most accurate weather data short and long term for the duration of the build. Safety and Maintenance are also big factors that required to be concentrated on.
Solar Vantage is mostly concerned where Installers are operating on roofs and are using weather data from up to 10KM away e.t.c. and making decisions on the roof based on unrelated data. They generally don’t use a heat risk assessment or follow one to the level required.
Due to people’s inability to judge their limits at times and their capability being unknown and heat risk assessment being variable a call for 35 degree, 28 degree, 75% humidity was brought in as a blanket ruling for QLD / NT via the union.
Dehydration limits a wide range of cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses, culminating in an increase in core temperature of 0.10 – 0.40°C for every 1% decrease in body weight as water.
Loss of fluid of 1% body weight (600 – 800ml) by sweating may lead to reduced performance.
It is has been reported that exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight, and that losses in excess of 5% body weight can decrease the capacity for work by as much as 30%.
Cognitive impairment occurs at 2% and above 4% the body’s core temp are getting to dangerous levels.
Risk assessment and validation is really important as these Industrial athletes are the driving force of your business, now and in the future. Do you have a strong tailored risk assessment for your staff? Are they all completed individually?
Below are some things to consider:
Figure 1: Risk assessment from SWA Guide to Managing Risks of working in Heat
Some Controls?
Engineering controls
Engineering controls include the use of ventilation such as fans, blowers, chillers. Air conditioning can be used in work areas such as crib rooms and in vehicles.
During field work, insulation or shielding such as tents or shade can be provided.
Administrative controls
Examples of administrative controls include:
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training and educating workers about control measures and recognising the effects of heat stress
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worker assessment and monitoring
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setting patterns of work
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acclimatisation schedules, particularly for new staff and after extended leave
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encouraging self-pacing of work
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maintaining hydration by replacing lost fluids (e.g. drink more water, juice, sports drinks or other non-alcoholic drinks).
Consider using selected personal protective equipment (PPE) such as ice or cool vests.
Assessment and monitoring
Medical surveillance may be required for some workers. This will help to determine general fitness, the presence of medical conditions and use of medications that may predispose a worker to heat strain.
Workers at risk of heat strain can be monitored at the workplace for signs of heat illness and to ensure work rest and hydration regimes are followed.
Monitoring may also include assessment of:
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recovery heart rate times
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oral temperatures
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end-of-shift weight loss (to determine level of dehydration).
Accurate forecasting and forward management
Accurate forecasts can also assist with downtime and risk. Both weather and risk are data-driven, and by layering information, the level of risk can be reduced significantly.
Mostly, components of a weather forecast can be given values, which makes it a useful tool for considering risk and implementing numerical based controls, which are easier to manage and are less subjective. Thresholds with warnings gives risk assessors useful information on potential downtime.
Hindcasting is useful too, as it can give planners the ability to know what the best time of year is to conduct routine maintenance or new builds.
Do you know what the ambient heat behind your panels are? For your solar build what level of forecasting do you do? What is your heat policy? Directors, how do you know it is being followed?
Edward Foord is a Sustainability Strategist at Brisbane’s You3. He has 14 years of national and international experience with large and small businesses.