The solar energy industry has rapidly grown across the UK in recent years. As technology improves and costs decrease, more and more businesses are installing solar panels on their roofs to capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity.
At Height of Safety, we’ve seen an increase in clients installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on their roofs recently. This is a positive step for reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy independence. However, it also creates new workplace safety challenges that companies must address.
The safety risks of rooftop solar arrays
With solar arrays going up on the roofs of offices, schools, factories, warehouses and other commercial buildings, a growing number of workers need to access these rooftops to install, inspect, clean, and maintain the solar systems over their lifetime.
Work on roofs has always involved serious fall hazards, and solar panel installations add another layer of complexity for workers to navigate. Commercial roofs often have uneven surfaces, limited space to move, skylights, and other trip hazards. Adding rows of solar panels creates an obstacle course that workers must safely navigate while exposed to fall risks.
Safety solutions for solar panel maintenance
Companies must prioritise implementing robust fall protection systems to reduce the risks associated with work at height and solar maintenance. These systems provide engineers with the necessary safety measures to carry out their tasks effectively while minimising the risk of accidents or injuries.
Following the hierarchy of control, the first form of protection to consider is collective, such as guardrails. Depending on your roof, these can be freestanding or fixed to standing seam or composite roofs. The benefit of these edge protection systems is that they don’t require training or any form of user interaction. Maintenance engineers are protected by the guardrail as soon as they step onto the roof.
As you can see from the photo below of an installation we carried out for a school in Croydon, workers can access the roof and carry out maintenance or servicing work on the solar panels in complete safety without the need for PPE.
When guardrails are impractical or impossible, a horizontal safety line system will protect the workers as they move around the roof. If a lifeline system is the best form of protection, it’s important to remember only people who have been fully trained and are competent to work at height can use the system. It doesn’t matter if the system is fall arrest or fall restraint. You must also ensure the system is appropriately maintained and inspected annually.
This installation of a lifeline system for a Height of Safety client in Durham allows solar service and maintenance engineers to move freely around the roof while safely connected to the system.
Committing to safety
Workplace health and safety practices must keep up as the solar industry continues its rapid growth. But it can be easy to overlook safety considerations when installing solar panels on your facility’s roof. By involving fall protection companies such as Height of Safety early in the planning and design stages, you can identify potential hazards and implement the appropriate safety solution.
Whether you’re a building owner, facility manager or solar installer looking to upgrade roof access equipment for solar panel maintenance, our team is here to assess your needs and design a comprehensive solution tailored to your specific roof requirements.
