Renewable energies: generation, storage, transport

Occupational safety and health is a decisive factor in the development of renewable energies, as special safety precautions must often be taken during the installation and maintenance of wind turbines, solar energy installations or biomass power plants. In addition, progressive electrification raises numerous issues regarding the safety of batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries. Continual ongoing development of technologies also requires new protective measures to be taken or existing protective measures to be adapted to new conditions. Only in conjunction with effective occupational safety and health measures can the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energies be promoted in the long term. The Section therefore deals with emerging issues in the context of renewable energies and occupational safety and health, and serves as a point of contact for this purpose.

The following specialized fields have already been established:

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs)

The chief areas of activity in this field are:

• Provision of advice and support to the accident insurance institutions regarding EMFs in the workplace
• Involvement in preparation or revision of EMF regulations by the relevant bodies
• Research and project work concerning specific issues affecting the accident insurance institutions
• Measurement and assessment of EMF exposure at workplaces
• Assessment of the susceptibility of active and passive implants to influence by EMFs
• Computer-aided calculation and evaluation of the electric field strengths induced in the human body at particularly strong electromagnetic field sources

Specialist information on the subject of electromagnetic fields

Hydraulics

The chief areas of activity in this field are:

• Testing/certification, research and consulting regarding hydraulic safety components, hydraulic valves and hydraulic hoses
• Development of test specifications and participation in the relevant standards committees

Pneumatics

The chief areas of activity in this field are:

• Testing/certification, research and consulting regarding pneumatic safety components, pneumatic valves, pneumatic braking and holding equipment, quick-release pneumatic couplings
• Development of test specifications and participation in the relevant standards committees

To enable it to test safety components under a range of environmental conditions, the Section has a new climate chamber. This is able to simulate particular climatic conditions reproducibly, and also sunshine and rain conditions.