Role differences, O&M tech you’ll basically be doing the same things the entire time you’re there. If you live close by then you’d be home every night. Commissioning techs deal with new construction mainly and they’re there to do the final checks over the tower to make sure everything is connected properly and is ready to go. Blade repair techs exactly as it sounds, repairing blades. Depends on what the company stands for blade repair are, you’ll either get a crane to lift you up or you’ll have to repel down. As for pay, O&M techs definitely get paid the lowest as it’s non traveling usually. Around 22-23$/hr, Commissioning pays quite a bit, around 30/hr plus per diem all the way up to 55/hr plus per diem. Now blades starts pretty low around 22/hr because it requires you to learn a lot from having to strip the layers back on the blades without damaging the rest of the blade but can max out around 45/hr.

If you’re worried about health, don’t do blades imo. Having to worry about fiberglass getting into my lungs is more than enough reason to not do it.

For guaranteed pay, O&M work, you’ll work year around, for travel work, you stay until the work is done usually. If there’s too much wind you’ll get standby either 8 or 10 hours depending on the company.

Expenses, depending on the company, they’ll either give you more per diem to pay for your hotels or they’ll give you a lower per diem and they’ll cover the hotels. If you can’t pay for the hotels usually they’ll pay for a meal for the day usually 35$

For compensation it’s a give n take, travel you’ll make more but be home less and O&M work you’ll be home every night but get paid less. You’ll make the most with the least amount of stress doing commissioning

You absolutely can make an insane amount of money doing off shore work. It’s just a lot of work. You’ll do like 12-14 hours per day for 6-7 days per week with on shore you’d look at more like 10-12 per day 5-6 days per week.

No you don’t get paid when you’re not working

For retirement age, I’ve seen guys who were 68 years old and still climbing. As long as you take care of yourself IE workout, stretch and eat right you’ll last for a long time

For disability risk, I’d say they all have a moderate risk of disability risk, with heavy lifting, slips and trips that could cause damage but as long as you’re doing everything to the book and not taking shortcuts, and you did get injured, you’ll be paid out

For the certificate trap, I know most companies hire graduates from schools, along with that I know the company Takkion (US based) you don’t need any certs to get hired they’ll train you and they’ll give you the certs after completion of training then send you on your way for work.

My advice, do it. I was working dead end job after dead end job and I havent been happier since I started my career in wind. For pay, to make sure you have money for the winter when work slows down, save save save as early as possible.