Warning Perceptions and Response for Ice Throw Risk in Norwegian Wind Farms

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Abstract Risk management for wind farms builds on standardized risk criteria. A specific hazard in higher-latitude areas is that of ice and snow being thrown from wind turbines. The current state of knowledge about good practices for ice throw risk communication is still in an exploratory phase. With wind farms becoming increasingly commonplace, there is a need to strengthen thus far fragmented knowledge on warning communication and response in this hazard context. This is especially relevant for Norway, where wind farms often are freely accessible to the general public. Building on behavioral science scholarship, this study reports on findings from a quantitative survey. The survey measured familiarity with ice throw risks, evaluated the perceived value of different communication tools and formats for ice throw risk information, and included a scenario-based experiment to measure behavioral response to ice throw warnings. Findings reveal low intention to visit wind farms and limited familiarity with ice throw risk. Affective risk perceptions for ice throw hazards align with risk perceptions for more common winter weather hazards, with significant effects for personal interest in weather hazards, gender, and age. Understanding of and response to impact-based warnings for ice throw risk at different warning levels revealed similar effects. Importantly, subsequent exposure to warning upgrades or downgrades significantly affects warning response. A key challenge for visitors to wind parks pertains to the inability to observe visual cues that indicate ice throw risk levels. Suggestions for implementing ice throw warning communication, as well as future directions for research, are provided. Significance Statement As wind farms become more prevalent, a unique hazard in colder climates is that of ice and snow being thrown from turbines. Effective communication of these risks is crucial, yet current practices remain fragmented. This study, situated in Norway, advances understanding of public familiarity with ice throw hazards, perceptions of risk communication tools, and behavioral responses to ice throw warnings. Findings indicate low awareness of ice throw risks and highlight the role of gender, age, affective risk perception, and personal interest in weather hazards in shaping responses. The study highlights challenges in visual risk assessment and impacts of warning up/downgrades on behavioral response. These findings inform strategies for improving ice throw risk communication and public warning communication more broadly.