“Turbine Cowboys” Give Wind Energy Its Very own Reality Show

“Turbine Cowboys” is a new reality series premiering on The Climate Channel this spring, and any person with an interest in clean energy really should test it out. Regardless of the highly mechanized nature of wind turbine building and the use of robotic gadgets for maintenance, the human component is still quite a lot at operate. Turbine Cowboys is an critical reminder that although renewable energy is cleaner and safer in terms of emissions and total public wellness impacts, that does not necessarily translate into a very low-chance work setting.

Wind and Workers

The Turbine Cowboys crew has been filming as far south as Baja California and up north to Alaska, which is a hint about the direction it’s going in. Along with the hazards you’d expect from working about electrical power and massive pieces of gear, and occupying a workspace far above the ground, the workers have to deal with rain and snow, severe warmth and cold, and of program, wind. The display will also cover the “boot camp” instruction received by turbine workers. As far as green jobs go, it’s tough to envision 1 that’s tougher.

In the Words of a Wind Energy Worker

The hazards of wind electrical power perform are aptly summed up in a posting on the Turbine Cowboys production company Facebook page (typos corrected):

“To say they are not unsafe is ignorant. The volume of security courses, initial help and rescue coaching, OSHA certs, ect. is by no means ending. I function on turbines every day and find new dangers every day. I”m continuously reminded of how a basic slip at any point in my day can harm/kill myself or a co-employee.”

One more Turbine Cowboy

“Turbine Cowboy” is a play on the outdated John Travolta film Urban Cowboy, so it stands to explanation that the exact same title has come up in the past. Certain sufficient, someplace in a record shop bin out there is a 45″ single, “Turbine Cowboy,” written and recorded in 1981 by a graduate of GE’s Field Engineering Program (FEP). The program dates back to 1966 and was initiated to train workers in conventional power generation and industrial gear operate. FEP graduates have some excellent stories of their own and you can examine all about it at their site, turbinecowboy.com (the website is not affiliated with GE, by the way).

Turbine Cowboys: A Celebration of American Labor

As a side note, The Climate Channel Firms is owned by a consortium consisting of NBC Universal, The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. Yes, that Bain Capital. Bain is perceived as an outfit that has made enormous income by eliminating jobs for U.S. employees, so it’s a tiny ironic that the business is linked (albeit remotely) to a display celebrating the ability, courage and resourcefulness of American labor, but whatevs. Turbine Cowboys is just one particular part of TWC’s upcoming “Braving the Elements” series on American employees that so far incorporates higher-rise ironworkers and utility emergency restore crews. TWC expects to add much more titles during the 12 months.

Picture: Wind turbines. License Some rights reserved by 24oranges.nl.

Adhere to Tina Casey on Twitter: @TinaMCasey.

 

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