They’re the men and women who brave extreme heights to climb 300-foot towers that catch and harness the power of the wind.
Technicians have to scale the massive structures that, at times, are big enough to stand in. But in most cases, wind turbines are a challenge for technicians to maneuver in.
Not many know this better than Lethbridge College professor Kelly Norgard of the Wind Turbine Technician program.
“It is a long ways up and equally a long ways down,” said Norgard. “You’re often carrying equipment and tools, and all your safety gear. There is a lot of movement, repetitive movement. And climbing especially is one of the things (the students are) looking at now.”
One University of Lethbridge graduate student is looking for a solution to their ergonomic problem.
“The wind industry in Canada is rapidly expanding and while there is a culture of safety within the industry, we are hoping that this ergonomic research helps maintain and sustain the industry by sustaining the wind turbine technician work force,” said Conor Tosh.
“I originally wanted to go into physiotherapy as most kinesiologists do, but then I found that I don’t like treating people after they have got an injury, I’d rather prevent them before they happen.”
The project uses stick figures.
“The college volunteers will come into the lab, they wear reflective markers all over their body and while performing the tasks, the motion capture tells me how much trunk flexion they have, what kind of movements are they using is there any asymmetry in the movement and things like that,” Tosh said.
The motion capture shows the volunteers’ movements as stick figures for Tosh and his team to analyse.
The project finishes its term in 6 months, with the future looking up. As the sky is the limit to what this research can do for the industry.
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