Alan Dransfield's Blog

Email sent – 16 January 2015 11:45

Dear Mr Bradshaw

I acknowledge and thank you for your letter dated 15th Jan 2016 along with
the Health and Safety Executive response from Dr Richard Judge, the new CEO of the HSE.

At best, he is being disingenuous and at worst, he is tinkering with the
truth. Firstly, it was three (3) turbines which collapsed in the South West
during 2013 not 2 as he claims.

Secondly, he claims re the WT which collapsed in Bradworthy, that the contractor “changed his quality processes ” which beggars belief.

The same contractor installed a new wind turbine on the same faulty concrete base
using the same anchor bolts. Some quality improvement, don’t you think?

Strikes me the HSE, who took 12 months to investigate these two collapsed wind turbines, and no doubt £50 or 60k for their troubles.

They also claim in their letter ,”we released the wind turbine reports to
individuals and journalists in response to FOIA requests”. It should not be
necessary to submit a FOIA request to gain such information from the HSE. All
three reports should be available at the HSE website.

As you are aware wind turbines are toppling over at an alarming rate nationwide, and if
they are not collapsing, they are loosing the wings or being struck by
lightning.

The comments from the new HSE CEO do not fill me with any confidence that
the wind turbine industry is safe, on the contrary.

I would now like my MP to ask the appropriate oversight authorities why wind turbines are being
installed in school playgrounds, next to houses offices, railways motorways
and A roads.

It is high time the HSE took a more proactive role in WT energy as opposed
to the Current Reactive Mode to disasters. Surely prevention is better than
cure.

I am not impressed with the new Dr Who at the HSE, and I was less impressed
with Rodger the Dodger Podger before him.

Its hardly surprising the Health and Safety Executive imposed a lifetime email ban against
me, is it Mr Bradshaw?

For your information action and files

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield

Email sent – 05 January 2015 08:12

Dear Mr Bradshaw MP

Please see this website for the latest information ref a Wind Turbine collapse in Northern Ireland.

Polite reminder you are awaiting a response from the Health and Safety Executive ref the three
(3) downed WT in the SW in 2013.

Can you please reassess your decision to ban me from your Friday night
surgery schedule, as I am sure you will agree there is a LOT to discuss.

Best regards

Alan

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/energy/windpower/11324119/Wind-turbine-collapses-in-Northern-Ireland.html

Email sent – 06 January 2015 08:46

Dear Mr Bradshaw MP

I am sure you are aware another Wind Turbine collapsed a couple of days ago
in Northern Ireland. Apparently the WT collapsed in light winds.

Could it be these WTs are collapsing due to Vortex Induced Vibration
(VIV)? Please see the following article on this matter.

It’s probably a factor compounded further by too thin steel.

As we speak, I am sure the Health and Safety Executive has commenced a 12 month x £200K
investigation. Nice job if you can get one.

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/75459/why-do-chimneys-have-these-spiral-wings

30 December 2014 18:30

Dear Mr Bradshaw

As you are aware, I am on record with my MP ref my concerns for public safety from wind turbines.

Please confirm if you have read the two Health and Safety Executive (restricted) reports which I sent you 8 weeks ago. If not, why not?

I have also discovered recently a 3rd wind turbine collapsed in Teignmouth on Oct 13 under similar circumstances i.e., catastrophic failures.

Something is very seriously wrong with the design, construction and operation of these wind turbines if they are are to liable topple over akin to ten pin bowls.

Can you please advise me of your intention please Mr Bradshaw.

The following article makes very disconcerting reading.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-24691465

Email sent –

27 December 2014 12:41

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Please see the following article ref wind turbine failures and in particular the WT collapse in Deer, Scotland, which looks very similar to the 2 collapsed WT’s in the SW last year.

I appreciate such matters are outside your remit but I am deeply concerned for public safety and in particular schoolchildren’s safety where WT have been installed adjacent to the school, ie in the playground.

In my opinion, WTs installed closer than 500 metres to schools, dwellings, railways, motorways etc is tantamount to criminal negligence by the planning authority.

At this juncture the HSE have no remit whatsoever ref the siting of wind turbines which in my view is the cart before the horse ref public safety.

Local authorities across the UK are failing their fiduciary duty of care ref public safety .
The Secretary of State for HSE needs a wake up call and I ask my MP to write to the appropriate oversight authority before we witness a catastrophe similar to Aberfan.
The worst case scenario is one of the WT’s collapses directly onto a school or a blade blows onto a major motorway/railway. Worst Case Scenario (WCS) are being willfully circumvented. I would strongly recommend that a minimum 500 metres minimum clearance between any WT and dwellings, schools, railways, motorways and I would strongly recommend the HSE should be the leaders in law ref WT safety. I would also strongly recommend immediate intervention by the HSE or ministerial body to order the removal of any WT installed in school playgrounds. In the event you do not share my concerns for public safety , I would like to enquire why you have not advocated for WT installation in all Devon Schools and Government Premises.

Your thoughts and action appreciated.

Dransfield

http://www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk/

Email sent –

26 December 2014 12:55

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Further to my recent correspondence ref the subject title, please see the following article on the subject.

It beggars belief that the oversight authorities in UK schools are banning historical playground games such as conkers, British bulldog, leapfrog etc citing H&S dangers for such bans.

The very same oversight authorities have given approval for the installation of wind turbines in school playground.

Shall we wait for an Aberfan-yype of disaster before we remove these WT from playgrounds?

Alan M Dransfield

http://www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk/Correspondence.pdf

Email sent – 03 November 2014 06:04

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Please find the EU Health and Safety report ref the subject title. In my view, this report makes very disconcerting reading and confirms my allegations that wind turbine safety in the UK is unacceptable and I call upon my MP to ask the Minister of Energy Mr Ed Davey for an independent review of wind turbine safety. However, I do not accept the HSE have the required honesty and integrity or subject knowledge to conduct any such review, owing to their failures and negligence of the two collapsed WT’s last year in the SW.

When this report is read in parallel with the recent restricted report from the HSE ref the two collapsed Wind Turbines in Devon addressed to Alan M Dransfield, there is evidence that the health and safety of the general public and the WT workforces has been and continues to be seriously compromised.

It is also very disconcerting to learn these Wind Turbines have a life span of 23-30 years only and a large majority of the WT’s do not have adequate Lightning Protection (page 48).

I am of the opinion that any right minded person would be seriously alarmed at the WT industry after reading this attached report.

Polite reminder please that I can hand-carry the two HSE restricted reports to your Exeter Office for photo copying please.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield

https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/occupational-safety-and-health-in-the-wind-energy-sector

Email sent – 02 December 2014 09:29

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Further to my email yesterday, sent whilst travelling on National Express Coach to London, I observed a large construction site in the Heart of London with 8 Tower Cranes in Buckingham Palace Road, 4 of which were not displaying any aviation lights as required by law.

In light of the tragic incident last year (not accident) in which a helicopter crashed into an unprotected Tower Crane at St George Wharf, I would have envisaged the HSE and Local Authorities would have tightened up on such matters. Obviously not.

No doubt the HSE are still working on that incident!

I also have grave concerns for a new wind turbine recently installed within a stone’s throw of the M4 at the Basingstoke/Reading Junction and practically sitting on top of an office block.

In the event the blades of this wind turbine are detached in a storm, as is most common nationwide, the offices or the M4 could have wind turbine blade where it shouldn’t be.

Can you imagine the carnage if that blade falls onto the M4 at peak period?

I would be most grateful if you would write to the appropriate oversight authorities on these two issues please – Minister of Transport for the WT debacle and the Mayor of London for the tower crane debacle.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield