Assembly and method for preventing exposure of personnel to an opening defined by a surface of a wind turbine

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle mounted atop the tower;
• a rotor mounted to the nacelle, the rotor comprising a rotatable hub having one or more rotor blades secured thereto;
• an opening defined by a surface of the wind turbine;
• and
• a hatch assembly arranged adjacent to the opening, the hatch assembly comprising a frame structure and a support surface, the frame structure comprising a plurality of frame members arranged together to at least partially surround the opening, the plurality of frame members further defining a passageway for receiving the support surface, the support surface being slidable between a first position in which the support surface is oriented generally parallel to the surface and a second position in which the support surface is oriented generally perpendicular to the surface,
• wherein the support surface occludes the opening defined by the surface of the wind turbine when the support surface is in the first position, and wherein the support surface occludes the passageway defined by the plurality of frame members of the frame structure when in the second position so as to prevent exposure of personnel to the opening defined by the surface of the wind turbine;
• and
• wherein the plurality of frame members of the frame structure are fixed relative to the support surface when the support surface slides between the first position and the second position, and wherein the plurality of frame members define the passageway when the support surface is in the first position and when the support surface is in the second position.