Darren Hoadley recounts traumatic incident at Rentel offshore wind farm, seeks justice in high court

Darren Hoadley, known as ‘Mr Safety,’ reflects on the life-changing moment a wind turbine severed his left arm at Rentel offshore wind farm. Despite ongoing challenges, he seeks justice and shares his haunting experience in a High Court battle against Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd.

In a tragic incident at Rentel offshore wind farm in the North Sea, Darren Hoadley, a specialist wind turbine installer, faced a horrific accident that forever altered his life. The 42-year-old engineer, often dubbed “Mr Safety,” recounted the traumatic event in June 2018 when a turbine blade sliced off his left arm “like a guillotine” while assessing parts in a turbine’s “nacelle” pod.

The incident occurred as Darren placed his arm through a gap in the turbine brake disc while checking safety pins. Unbeknownst to him, the turbine was still slowly rotating, leading to a catastrophic outcome. Following the “traumatically” shocking amputation, Darren took legal action against Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd, his employer at the time.

During the High Court proceedings, Darren claimed the accident wouldn’t have happened if he had known the turbine’s power source wasn’t switched off. His testimony revealed the horrifying moment when he realized his arm was trapped and the turbine blade acted as a guillotine, resulting in the traumatic amputation.

Judge Richard Davison detailed the circumstances, highlighting Darren’s assumptions that the power was turned off and the brake disc was locked. However, both assumptions were incorrect, leading to the gruesome incident. The judge ruled Siemens Gamesa at fault, noting that technicians should have alerted Darren about the power being restored. The absence of safety measures, including the chain and warning sign, contributed to the tragic outcome.

Despite Darren being found one-third responsible for the accident, the judge commended Siemens Gamesa for immediate reforms to equipment and procedures. The exact damages, initially claimed at £1 million, are yet to be decided, with Darren set to receive two-thirds of the awarded amount.

Darren, resilient in the face of adversity, has continued working and undergoing safety tests to pursue his passion for wind turbine installation. He expressed the initial struggle with the loss of identity but has embraced challenges with adaptations to his artificial limb, symbolizing his determination to overcome the traumatic incident.