It is a natural, though regrettable fact that as more GWO registered training providers train more participants the likelihood that something goes wrong increases. These situations and events are taken seriously and when reported they always followed up as part of a continous improvement process. GWO distinguishes between a safety incident (including significant near-misses) and a complaint by reference to a definition contained within its Requirement for Training Providers. Underlying both is an approach based on a set of fair dealing principles. GWO acts to inform the community of any investigation findings as soon as possible through timely newsletters to the community and on the GWO website. This article focuses on the more numerous complaints rather than incidents which have a specific technical nature. In 2021 GWO one incident at a certified training centre generated corrective actions. The report for this incident can be found here.
In 2021 GWO registered 30 complaints. Fundamental to GWO’s approach to complaints handling to see it as a key route to improving our standards, guidance and business process at the Secretariat and in training community. For these reasons we maintain as transparent process as possible given the sensitive nature of complaints all of which is overseen by our Audit and Compliance Committee. If a complaint leads to a formal investigation it may be necessary to take immediate safeguarding or other measures and it this is required we advise the community publicly of any risk. We also communicate publicly at the end of an investigation disseminating learning and any disciplinary action that has been actioned.
GWO adhere to the following principles during complaints investigations:
During 2021 only two of the 30 complaints resulted in disciplinary action.
On July 2021, the GWO Secretariat completed an investigation, under supervision of the Audit & Compliance Committee into allegations of material non-compliance with the GWO Requirements for Training Providers and violations of our Code of Conduct by a certified training provider. Following research the GWO A&C Committee approved the withdrawal from our list of certified training providers, the profile of one company. Following mitigation actions this company has subsequently been reaudited and is again a certified GWO training provider..
In addition to the withdrawal of this company’s certification from the list of authorised training providers, the Committee also approved that all WINDA records uploaded by the company in 2021 to that point were revoked and course participants should be informed accordingly.
This decision affect 161 trained people. Who were notified directly and will be invited to appeal personally or via their employer the decision. Participants were required to provide sufficient documented evidence of their physical attendance at training.
Jakob Lau Holst, CEO of Global Wind Organisation, explained:
“Our first consideration has to be the safety of our workforce. Insufficiently trained participants should be considered as a potential safety risk to themselves and their colleagues. It is with this priority the Committee made its decision to revoke training records."
Global Wind Organisation’s Audit & Compliance Committee has completed an investigation into a chain of non compliance by an auditor, a certification body, and a training provider. Action was taken against all three. Read the full case here
Reports about GWO registered training providers or training can be emailed via this page