Vermont Wind Turbine Elevators Not Subject to State Inspections


Posted on Dec 20, 2011

Recently Green Mountain Power has installed wind turbines on a 40 MW wind farm in Sheffield. Although the construction of this project created many jobs for Vermont workers, some critics of this project have raised questions to GMP and the State of Vermont regarding the safety of these wind turbines, specifically surrounding the elevators.

According to a recent television news report, an elevator mechanic in the New England elevator industry discovered that the elevators in these 300-foot wind turbines are not being state-inspected like all other elevators in the state of Vermont.

Why aren’t GMP’s wind turbine elevators being state inspected?

The two-person wind turbine elevator carries workers and their gear 260 feet up the tower. The elevator mechanic likened the scenario to “a birdcage on a wire”. These elevators should have to be maintained and inspected to keep workers safe from Vermont work accident injuries.

However, this elevator mechanic found that since Vermont’s wind-turbine elevators do not have to be installed by a licensed elevator mechanic, they are not subject to annual inspections. Inspections include electrical, construction, and life-safety codes.

Although these lifts sway in high winds, which are normal for these types of elevators in towers, it is important to have these elevators inspected for job safety since no one would be able to survive a 260-foot fall.

Critics are now looking to GMP for answers. If work sites are not inspected properly, workers could suffer from a Vermont work injury and employers could be responsible.

Read More About Vermont Wind Turbine Elevators Not Subject to State Inspections...

back to top


Charles L. Powell represents injured workers throughout Vermont and is available to speak with injured workers in all Vermont counties and towns including:
Windsor County - Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Chester, Chester Depot, Hartford, White River Junction, Wilder, Hartland, Ludlow, Ludlow Village, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Stockbridge, Weathersfield, Perkinsville, West Windsor, Weston, Windsor, Woodstock and Woodstock Village
Windham County - Athens, Brattleboro, West Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Algiers, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Newfane Village, Putney, Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Harmonyville, West Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, North Westminster, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Windham and South Windham
Orange County - Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee and Williamstown
Washington County - Barre, Websterville, Berlin, Cabot, Cabot Village, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fayston, Marshfield, Marshfield Village, Middlesex, Montpelier, Moretown, Northfield, Northfield Village, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Woodbury and Worcester
Caledonia County - Barnet, Burke, West Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, East Hardwick, Mackville, Kirby, Lyndon, Lyndonville, Lyndon Center, East Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, South Ryegate, East Ryegate, Center Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Center, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock
Chittenden County - Bolton, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, St. George, Underhill, Westford, Williston and Winooski.

Contact Us

Name:*

Phone:*

Email:*

Tell us more:*


White River Junction Office

3533 Woodstock Rd
White River Junction, VT 05001 Get Directions

Testimonials

  • Workers' Compensation Lump Sum Setltlement Brings Justice, Resolution and Peace of Mind
  • I can go on and on regarding how great this place is. Chip and his associates made this whole workers’ compensation time in my life a lot easier... (Joseph Scroggins)
  • I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for the superb representation and moral support I received during my case.
  • I retained the legal services of Charles Powell to represent myself when it came to workman’s compensation and issues that I had to deal with during my recovery.

View All