GWO standard updates 2026
July 2026
What you need to know before the September deadline
Download our quick guide to the GWO Standard Changes 2026 and what you need to know.
The Global Wind Organisation (GWO) has introduced significant updates to eight of its training standards. These changes, which came into effect on 10 March 2026, are designed to improve training quality and align more closely with current industry practices.
However, these updates also bring structural changes to how refresher training is delivered and certified. For training coordinators and individuals managing their own certification, understanding these changes is critical to avoiding unnecessary costs and time away from work.
The transition grace period ends on 10 September 2026. After this date, the old refresher standards will no longer be available.
The most important change: ART Refresher
The most impactful change for many delegates involves the Advanced Rescue Training Refresher (ART-R).
Under the previous standards, completing an ART Refresher automatically renewed a delegate's Working at Heights (WaH) and Manual Handling (MH) training records. This is no longer the case.
After 10 September 2026, the ART Refresher will not renew WaH and MH certificates. Delegates will need to attend these modules separately. Furthermore, the combined Working at Heights and Manual Handling module has been discontinued; each must now be attended as an individual module.
"The upcoming deadline in September is a hard stop for the old certification structure. If you need to renew your ART certification this year, we strongly advise completing your training before 10 September. Doing so means your Working at Heights and Manual Handling records will still be renewed automatically, saving you both time and training budget. After September, you'll have to take those modules separately." - Ian Noble, Learning & Development Manager for Renewables, Maersk Training
Key updates to Basic Safety Training
The BST standard has seen several structural and content updates aimed at making training more practical and relevant to on-site realities.
-
Shorter, scenario-based refreshers — Refresher training across all modules now focuses on practical, scenario-based exercises rather than classroom theory.
-
Sea Survival: Walk-to-Work — A new lesson covering safe transfer using motion-compensated gangways (W2W) has been added to close an identified safety gap in offshore transfers.
-
Module separation — The combined WaH and MH module is discontinued. To obtain valid training records, participants must attend each module individually.
-
Refresher and initial courses separated — All BST refresher training is now different to the initial training. Refresher delegates can no longer book onto an initial BST course as they were previously able to do with certain modules.
Updates to Advanced Rescue Training
The ART standard has undergone a comprehensive revision following the ART Review Project.
-
Single Rescuer integrated — The standalone Single Rescuer modules have been discontinued. Single Rescuer training is now fully integrated into both the initial and refresher ART modules.
-
Reduced duration — The ART Refresher has been reduced from three days to two days, thanks to the integration and restructuring.
-
Rigging alignment — The standard now aligns rigging and movement methods more closely with current good practice and equipment manufacturer requirements.
Plan your training schedule now
With the 10 September deadline approaching, training calendars are expected to fill up quickly as companies rush to renew certifications under the old, more time-efficient rules.
If your team's ART certificates are due for renewal in 2026, completing your training before the September deadline is the most efficient route.