Accounting for Safety is a growing health and safety training company based in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, UK. The firm currently offers a range of training courses to companies - both inside and outside the wind energy sector - but has recently provided health and safety training to a number of high profile offshore wind companies, including Dong Energy, Vattenfall and REpower. Over the last twelve months, the company has also enjoyed a period of strong growth.

Interview by Andrew Williams

Q: Could you please explain a little bit about the background behind Accounting for Safety - When was the company established? And what are the main health and safety training services and courses that the company offers to clients?

A: Accounting for Safety was initially founded in 2004 and since then has provided a wide variety of health and safety training across all types of industries - but, given the nature of the industry in the local area of the North West, our main focus is currently on the engineering, construction and energy industries. Accounting for Safety is currently the only accredited health and safety training centre in the whole of South Cumbria, and one of only a handful in the North West of England, that offers National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) courses, as well as Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) training courses - along with bespoke health and safety training services all under one roof.

Q: In particular, what training activities does Accounting for Safety currently carry out in the offshore wind energy health and safety sector?

A: To date, we have provided CCNSG, IOSH Managing Safely and NEBOSH courses to many clients in the offshore wind energy workforce.

Q: In particular, what offshore wind energy companies have you worked with to date - and in what locations?

A: We have worked with Dong Energy, Vattenfall, RePower and Walney Offshore UK. Our training courses all take place at our training centre in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria.

Q: What was the nature of the health and safety training work you carried out with these companies?

A: We have provided all of the above companies with NEBOSH, IOSH and CCNSG courses - as well as providing advice and training to any of the local companies providing services to the offshore wind industry.

Q: In terms of offshore wind health and safety, what are currently the most 'in demand' health and safety training services from your company - and why do you think this is?

A: In terms of numbers our most popular course is currently the CCNSG Safety Passport - because it is often a requirement from operative level upwards. A high percentage of our NEBOSH candidates are now coming from the offshore wind energy sector as companies look to increase the amount of in depth health and safety knowledge and ability throughout their workforce - rather than just amongst those personnel that are solely responsible for health and safety management.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you think are likely to be the main health and safety challenges facing offshore wind energy developers over the next few years? And - in your view - how best do you think offshore companies should be looking to overcome these challenges?

A: In terms of health and safety there will always be an inherent risk in working offshore - and I believe that the companies working in the UK offshore wind energy industry always take their responsibility to their workforce very seriously. The offshore wind energy industry has the benefit of being relatively young and this gives those companies involved plenty of influence in how the health and safety culture develops within the industry. It is important that this commitment to health and safety training continues to be demonstrated at all levels - and that complacency is not allowed to set in the future.