GWO BTT Bolt Tightening

GWO BTT Bolt Tightening & GWO BTT Installation

1st US provider to launch new BTT Bolt Tightening

STL USA are delighted to announce we are the first North American GWO trainer to offer BTT Bolt Tightening

STL USA has recently been successfully audited to launch the new BTT Bolt Tightening course. This course will sit alongside the traditional BTT course electrical, hydraulic and mechanical to form a new 4-module BTT. Course attendees will also be able to take BTT Bolt alongside BTT Mechanical and Installation for those working in pre-assembly and installation roles. 

The whole team at STL USA is super proud of the work put in by our training staff to develop this course and expand our range of training across the whole of the entry-level framework. It’s now clearer than ever for companies in wind to understand the skills and training their people need which is a great move for the industry.

Working with GWO to launch the course

In the run up to the launch of the BTT Bolt standard STL USA we’re able to work closely with GWO Project Manager who was developing the standard. This was great for both entities as STL USA could provide practical feedback on the application of the standard in training and GWO was able to share the standard standards before launch. It really was a win-win.

Key areas of GWO Bolt Tightening

At course completion attendees will be able to act independently to safely plan, carry out and complete generic bolt torquing and tensioning tasks to
specification using energy-powered equipment. The module covers both how to tighten bolts safely and correctly, and how to plan, document, and review bolt-tightening tasks.

Find out More

Speak to a member of the team.

Speak to the Team

Megger testing equipment

Megger testing

Better equipment, better training

STL USA are delighted to announce we will be carrying a range of Megger testing equipment for use in courses

STL USA has recently taken onboard a range of Megger testing equipment. STL USA is delighted to be able to incorporate this equipment into our training programmes including grounding and insulation testing. This will allow STL USA to cover of many of the requirements across the ACP micro-credentials alongside electrical modules within GWO Basic Technical Training, GWO Control of Hazardous Energies and more.

Megger are widely recognised as the market leader in this field.

Learn more about Megger here

Megger

“I’m delighted that Megger has provided us with a range of their equipment, it means our students get to train on the best.”

-Ben Dickens VP North America STL USA

“Megger believes supporting electrical training is crucial for the students and the electrical industry. We are proud to partner with quality training institutions such as STL USA”.

-Jeff Hyde, Regional Distribution Sales Manager

 

Electrical course, BTT Electrical, CoHE Electrical Safety, NFPA 70E

STL USA run a range of courses focussed on the electrical side of wind. The GWO BTT Electrical module, GWO CoHE Electrical Safety and Low and High voltage courses to standard NFPA 70E.

In addition we will be launching a range of online, micro courses to provide top-up education for technicians in the coming months.

Course programmes at STL USA are shifting focus, adopting a modular approach that allows STL SUA to build groups of courses together to meet both GWO and ACP recommendations. The most popular courses will always be available as open enrollment however should you need a more bespoke programme a member of the team can work closely with you to identify and define the training you need.

Find out More

Speak to a member of the team.

Speak to the Team

New GWO courses for 2023

new gwo courses

All new GWO courses for 2023

New GWO courses aligned to the GWO entry level framework and ACP entry level training guide

We’re delighted to announce new GWO courses for 2023. But first a little background on their importance.

As many of you know GWO and ACP have been working hard in unison to launch guidance on training and skills expectations for new and existing wind technicians.  From GWO ‘s perspective, this comes in the form of the Entry Level Wind Technician Framework, for ACP it is the Entry Level Wind Technician training guidelines. Crucially the ACP guide includes many of the core GWO courses.

In both cases, the aim is to offer a simplified set of profiles and corresponding skills and accreditations that each should achieve. This gives employers a clear framework to follow with guidance that aims to ensure a comprehensive understanding of entry-level requirements for operations and maintenance wind technicians for onshore and offshore wind facilities.

More info here:

ACP

GWO

New BTT courses – BTT Bolt Tightening, BTT Installation

The May 2023 update to BTT included the addition of a new course, BTT Bolt TIghtening, which sits alongside the existing Mechanical, Electrical, and Hydraulic courses as part of the core BTT training. In addition, STL USA has also added BTT Installation, which is taken with BTT Mechanical for those technicians that focus on pre-assembly and installation projects. Both courses form a core part of the entry-level frameworks for wind technicians and are available from mid-July.

New Control of Hazardous Energies (CoHE) courses

Hazardous energies pose a high risk of injury to all workers working within the wind industry. One of the reasons for this is that hazardous energies are found in various forms within the wind turbine environment and within the environment of a wind farm.

The CoHE course is a core component of the entry-level framework, formed of three modules covering basic safety, electrical safety, and pressure fluid safety. Available in mid-July.

New Lift courses

STL USA is delighted to be adding GWO lift training from our facility, using 3S lift equipment.

Training in accordance with this Lift Standard will enable participants to take responsibility to support and care for themselves and others while operating and working on a lift in the wind industry. This is vitally important as lifts become more and more commonplace in newer turbines. Available mid-July.

 

Improving standardization

It has been a clear goal of industry bodies to provide a level of standardization across the wind industry to ensure consistency across skills, accreditations, and competence. But above all, it gives employers certainty in the expectations for their staff. STL USA is a major supporter of this drive.

Find out More

Speak to a member of the team.

Speak to the Team

Personal rescue device – Wind Escape

Personal rescue device

True innovation in personal rescue

Wind Escape: A Rescue Descender for Wind

The Wind Escape is a personal rescue descender designed for use in wind, telecommunications, industry, and oil and gas. It features an auto-lock, two or one-hand descent, anti-panic braking, smooth horizontal movement, shock absorption, and partner rescue features.

Auto-Lock

The Wind Escape’s auto-lock feature provides a secure hold when the user is not actively descending. This prevents the user from accidentally slipping or falling.

Two or One-Hand Descent

The Wind Escape can be descended with either one or two hands. This makes it ideal for use in situations where the user’s hands may be occupied, such as when carrying a load or helping another person.

Anti-Panic Braking

The Wind Escape’s anti-panic braking system helps to prevent the user from losing control of the descender in the event of a panic. This can be a lifesaver in situations where the user is feeling overwhelmed or scared.

Smooth Horizontal Movement

The Wind Escape’s smooth horizontal movement allows the user to move freely while descending. This is important in situations where the user may need to navigate around obstacles or uneven terrain.

Shock Absorption

The Wind Escape’s shock absorption system helps to protect the user from injury in the event of a fall. This is important in situations where the user may be descending from a great height.

Partner Rescue

The Wind Escape’s partner rescue features allow the user to safely rescue another person who is in trouble. This can be a lifesaver in situations where the other person is unable to descend on their own.

 

The Wind Escape is a versatile and reliable rescue descender that is ideal for use in a variety of industries. It is easy to use and features a number of safety features that make it a valuable tool for any rescue worker.

 
Additional benefits of using the Wind Escape:
  • It is lightweight and compact, making it easy to transport and store.
  • It is made from high-quality materials that are designed to withstand tough conditions.
  • It is backed by a warranty, which gives you peace of mind knowing that you are covered in the event of a problem.

If you are looking for a reliable and versatile rescue descender, the Wind Escape is a great option. It is a valuable tool for any rescue worker who needs to safely descend in a variety of conditions.

Technical Specifications

– Minimum use temperature of -30°C.
– It incorporates 5mm diameter Technora rope resistant to high temperature and tears.
– Easy maintenance thanks to its vacuum packaging that simplifies the revision.
– Customisable rope length of up to 200m.
– CE EN 341:2011/2D: working load 40 – 120kg.
– ANSI Z359.4-2013: working load 60 – 141kg.
– 200m version’s weight: 4.4kg.

Find out More

Speak to a member of the team and arrange a demo

Speak to the Team

Rise of the wind techs – TCGM meet up

Rise of the wind techs - TCGM meet up

Join us June 9th in Abilene, TX.

STL USA is delighted to welcome the Tower Climbing Grease Monkey’s (TCGM) team on June 9th. 

The day will be split into two halves. In the morning the TCGM team will be at our Abilene facility to tour the site, have some fun on the tower, and meet with the STL USA team.

 

Then it’s over to the Mesquite event center where there’ll be food, drinks, and a chance for everyone to let their hair down.

Address details:

STL USA training center

Mesquite event center

 

We hope to see you there!

 

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STL USA working with education providers

stl usa working with education

A history of successful college partnerships

STL USA working with education providers has been a constant theme since we began offering wind technician training in the USA. Why? Because to partner with STL USA could not be more simple.

From the early days working with colleges in Michigan to ongoing partnerships with Texas State Technical College and Iowa Lakes Community College. STL USA has honed a process for simple implementation of commercial wind technician training, most specifically GWO accreditations, the default professional qualification for wind technicians and those looking to work in the field. 

Programmes with education follow a simple 4-step process that allows for a fast, low cost roll-out.. These stages include:

COMPLIANT QUALITY MANAGEMENT SET UP

  • QMS set up for partner site
  • Compliance requirements

FACILITIES

  • Audit existing facilities for GWO compliance
  • Gap analysis
  • Roadmap to compliance
TRAIN THE TRAINER
 
  • WEEK 1-2 Course attendance and observation
  • WEEK 3 Supported delivery
  • WEEk 4 Observed course delivery
 
GWO AUDITS
 
  • Pre-Audit run through
  • Independent GWO audit

STL USA have refined this process to ensure a fast, low-cost delivery that results in GWO accreditation within 6-8 weeks. Additionally, once audited the college can then take advantage of commercial training opportunities with local businesses.

Working with TSTC

The partnership between STL USA and Texas State Technical College dates back over 6 years. Initially developed to service local wind technicians, the program was then extended to students. Incorporating GWO into student studies ensures that graduates are in the best possible position to enter the jobs market. 

“Working with STL USA has allowed us to quickly integrate industry requirements into our undergraduate programs. Simply put this makes our graduates more employable. STL USA takes care of everything ensuring our faculty can get on with teaching. It’s been a pleasure working together.”

TSTC Wind program lead

As we move forward with renewables across the USA new legislation will fuel the sector’s growth. It’s anticipated that the clean energy sector will double in the next 10 years requiring an additional 250,000 people to fill roles. With this in mind, it’s essential that the commercial and education sectors come together to ensure the next generation of wind professionals are able to meet the demands of this fast-moving industry.

If you lead a wind program talk to us now about how STL USA can support the role out of a GWO program for your college.

 

Learn more

Get in touch and talk to a team member now about GWO implementation

Get in Touch

The state of wind energy in lockdown.

With many of us in wind energy in lockdown this weeks post speculates on where we’re heading.

 

So what is the state of wind energy in lockdown? So let’s get this out of the way the wind is still blowing, turbines are still turning and I have to say that most people I’m speaking with are continuing to operate, albeit under strict distancing guidelines. Of course a lot of us are classed as essential workers so we’ve had to adapt quickly to this situation. For STL USA in particular this has meant moving courses to an onsite format where we can but of course not every customer has access to a turbine or tower to conduct a training course.

On this note I’d like to give a major shout out to the guys at Cotech who’ve let us use their training facility in Houston whilst ours is shut.

The GWO have played their part by quickly developing a new partial online course for Basic Safety training refreshers. This course allows for 100% delivery online over the space of a few days via a virtual classroom format. The course is built around interaction and requires both instructors and technicians to demonstrate a series of actions within the curriculum as well as theory elements to gain the 6 month interim accreditation.

This is an exciting development for STL USA as we’ve been eagerly awaiting the launch of an online, blended course format to broaden our course offering across the USA. We’ve also spent some of our lockdown time accelerating our plans to bring the GWO ART course to the USA. This is something we’re particularly keen to have sit alongside our standard GWO safety training courses.

Our wider outlook for wind is still very positive despite the current lockdown. Wind energy is proving itself to be a cost effective source of energy generation and with numerous new developments in the pipeline including the major offshore farms we still believe well end 2020 in an upbeat mood.

The second half of the year will see us looking further afield from our traditional mid-West base in the “wind corridor”. The next stage of our growth will be focussed on the offshore market, our longer term goal is to begin delivering GWO Sea Survival from a strategically located training center by the end of 2020. This is about 4-6 months behind our initial plan but hey Covid-19 came along so we hope you’ll forgive us.

All that’s left for us to do is say a big thank you to all our people who have worked tirelessly during this difficult time, for our clients patience and to the wider wind community for hanging in there.

 

If you’d like to talk about how we can support you GWO training get in touch.

 

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March news round up

Welcome to the March news round up.

I promised myself i would write this news round up without mentioning the C-word, but I don’t think that’s going to be possible. Covid-19 has dominated March and looks set to have an impact on the wind sector for the next few months. We are lucky as a business to be able to continue, albeit on a reduced basis, training during this crisis. We’ve taken significant steps to mitigate risks for our trainers and course attendees during the outbreak. This has meant the closure of our training facilities and a move to 100% onsite training until we feel we it is 100% safe to reopen the centers.

March started so differently

At the very start of March we were packing up after attending the AWEA O&M conference in San Diego. It was a great conference, we met up with clients and connected with new potential clients across the week. The weather was great and we had a small opportunity to enjoy some of the Southern California coastline. What a difference 30 days make! We moved quickly to ensure we could react to our client needs but most importantly to ensure the safety of our people and our attendees.

Moving onsite

The big story of the last 30 days has been our transition to 100% GWO onsite training. We regularly run training courses for customers at their wind farms but we’ve never had to run 100% of our courses in this fashion. The safety advantages are obvious, less interaction between people and less travel for course attendees. As training centers have closed across the country demand has grown exponentially. A big thank you to all the STL USA team for stepping up as in many cases we’ve been the last resort for clients.

Looking ahead

One thing is for certain this outbreak won’t last forever. When we come out of the back of this there will be a number of challenges that we will have to cover. Firstly there’s going to be a major backlog of refresher training that will need to be completed, second it’s likely there will be a rush of new hires. These will likely have been postponed during the lockdown. It’s going to mean a lot of training is required in a short space of time. To tackle this we’re working with all our customers to create a schedule for refreshers starting in May, we’re committed to running these back to back for as long as required so nobody’s certs lapse. It’s important we do this as lapsed certs require the tech to complete a full training course, keeping them out of the field for a full 5 days. We are working on a way for you to log your techs and their expiry dates into a schedule so we can then provide you training options, more to follow…

 

Stay Safe Everyone.

 

In the meantime if you want to add technicians to our refresher schedule you can get in touch below.

 

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What we’re discussing at AWEA O&M safety conference.

As we get closer to heading to San Diego for this year’s AWEA O&M safety conference we thought we highlight the key areas of focus for STL USA.

This year’s AWEA O&M safety conference will be a great opportunity to connect with our friends and colleagues across the industry, discuss the topics that really matter and work out how we can collectively solve these issues together. STL USA will be exhibiting on booth 314 come and find us.

For STL USA our focus this year is on a number of key areas including; developing offshore capability, launching Basic Technical Training and working with the labour supply chain to ease the bottleneck of trained technicians entering wind.

 

Offshore safety training, GWO Sea Survival.

With significant developments taking place on both the East and West coast, including the Ocean Wind site, demand for offshore technicians has never been higher. This puts huge pressure on the need for GWO Sea Survival courses, located within a sensible travelling distance of the fields. Currently the market is very thin. Offshore facilities have historically been centred around the Oil and Gas sector, located around the Gulf of Mexico but this needs to change given winds development on the East and West coast. To this end STL USA are actively seeking out sites to ensure we can meet this demand from the growing sector.

 

Developing Technical training, GWO Basic Technical Training

We believe that 2020 will see increasing importance placed on the need for technical training in the wind sector. As demand continues to grow for trained individuals only so much can be serviced from techs moving across sectors, in-house training and labour movement. We believe that 2020 will be the year where BTT becomes a key access point for people wanted to work in wind, whether high school or college leavers or those transitioning from unrelated areas. Ensuring a consistent flow of manpower is going to be crucial and we’re lucky that this is also recognised by our partners at Texas State Technical College.

 

How can we move people into wind energy faster?

Recent conversations with partners and clients have led us to explore the manpower problem from all angles in recent months. We clearly have an issue in the sector, there’s not enough technicians and not really enough places to train them. These are classic teething problems of a fast growing sector and something we’re keen to address. Ideas we’ve explored include a credit based system for experienced workers at height to gain credits on GWO course for existing qualifications, a transition path covering technical course modules and safety. We haven’t got a definitive answer to this question, what we do know is that we will need to come together as a sector to address this issue. New course formats and markeing criteria will need to be developed, tested and rolled out. AWEA O&M safety conference is a perfect place to do this, we look forward to speaking with you there.

 

AWEA O&M safety conference will be busy, the best way to ensure a conversation with STL USA is to book a meeting slot. Just click the link below.

 

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Why get the STL USA newsletter

Apart from the wit and imaginative writing there’s a bunch of reasons to get the STL USA newsletter!

 

So why should you get the STL USA newsletter? We’ll we bring you the lowdown on some of the best news in wind energy safety, the latest developments at STL USA and so much more.

Be the first to hear about course dates and availability

GWO training is becoming increasingly popular in the USA and with limited providers it pays to know when and where you can train. After all taking technicians out of the field costs money, STL USA strive to make the process simple and painless to minimise the impact to your bottom line, ensuring your workforce is fully qualified to the GWO Basic Safety training standard.

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We regular run promotions on our courses and make available funding via our regional and state partners. Funding goes fast, grab the newsletter to be kept up to date on opportunities. For example a client recently had 90% of their course fee’s paid via a state funding program in Texas. Can you afford not to benefit from this?

 

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