19.01.2023 | PV/flat roofs

A professional safety concept for PV installations protects the wallet and the nerves

As a solar system installer, you naturally know every detail of the legal safety provisions relating to PV systems on a roof. In contrast, your clients may well be entering completely new territory which probably raises a number of additional questions. It is therefore all the more important from the outset to integrate the subject of safety into the planning of the PV system, and to create a substantiated and professional safety concept.

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Guide for PV systems on the roof

Guide: Fall Protection Photovoltaic (PV)-System

This ultimate fall protection guide will help you to achieve a safe PV system on the roof. In the following, we summarise the danger areas on the roof, the liability issue and the safety solutions in a compact way. In addition, you will learn how you can generate more turnover as a solar installer.

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Elektro Scherer puts its trust in the TAURUS rail system from INNOTECH

In its practical implementation, the roof installation of PV systems together with their associated fall protection repeatedly creates specific challenges. In the case of Elektro Scherer, a TAURUS rail system from INNOTECH was attached directly to the K2 substructure of the solar power plant.

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How roof surfaces can be optimally used for the planned PV installation

With regard to PV installations on roofs, the question of competition for area often arises. This refers to competition between various types of use for the available area. The reason is that in principle all PV system operators want to free up the maximum possible amount of space for their solar power plant.

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Why should you, as PV installers, also offer the fall protection system?

We invited experts to a discussion on the subject of fall protection for PV systems on flat and pitched roofs. In this blog post we go into the most frequently asked questions related to this topic.

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Individual or collective protection? Which system is used when for PV installations on a roof?

While dangers like break-throughs or an increased fall risk close to the roof edge lurk on a flat roof, on a pitched roof the inclination itself is the greatest challenge. Discover in the following article how you can professionally protect your maintenance and cleaning staff.

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A professional safety concept for PV installations protects the wallet and the nerves

As a solar system installer, you naturally know every detail of the legal safety provisions relating to PV systems on a roof. In contrast, your clients may well be entering completely new territory which probably raises a number of additional questions. It is therefore all the more important from the outset to integrate the subject of safety into the planning of the PV system, and to create a substantiated and professional safety concept.

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Successful solar system installers are those who offer PV fall protection at the same time

Solar system installers who, in addition to the optimally appropriate PV systems, can also provide the best possible fall protection, not only have a better image than their competitors – they can also use this to create increased turnover.

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Safety increases business for solar system installers as full service providers

PV systems on the roof have been booming for quite some time. No wonder, because having your own solar power plant on the roof not only gives you much more independence in terms of energy supply, but also makes a significant contribution to the energy transition as a whole. If you also focus on the issue of safety on the roof, then as a solar installer you can leave the competition behind. In this article, you will discover how you can achieve this.

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Supporting multiple PV customers simultaneously can often become a huge challenge

Not only private households, but also businesses and companies, are relying increasingly on generating their own solar energy. The presently escalating energy prices will hasten this trend even further. For solar system installers, this creates enormous potential for winning new orders. It can then very easily happen that multiple projects or construction sites have to be managed simultaneously. And that creates a number of challenges.

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Work on a PV system on a roof

Installing one’s own PV system on a roof makes sense for a number of reasons. So that it always provides the best possible performance, workers regularly have to access the solar power plant in order to perform servicing and cleaning tasks. Who is responsible or liable for the consequences of accidents?

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PV systems on a roof – consider all danger areas, in order to protect against falls effectively

The circumstances and conditions of every single order for a PV system on a roof must always be analysed very closely, in order to implement the correct safety precautions. Solar system installers who recognise all risks and can at the same time also propose the appropriate professional and certified solution to their customers have the opportunity to position themselves as a responsible absolute expert in their area. In the medium and long term, this also has a positive effect on the sales performance of solar system installers.

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6 tips which help solar system installers to gain increased turnover from their PV installations on roofs

Even if the connection isn’t obvious at first glance, solar system installers and PV installation companies can acquire significantly more new customers with a partner who is a certified and professional manufacturer of fall protection systems for PV installations on roofs. The reason why is very simple: They are able to cover the subject of safety in the very first meeting with the customer, thereby relieving their potential clients of a large amount of research work.

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Subsequent installation of a fall protection system for PV installations on the roof

It is never too late to make the right decisions and implement them! This means that even operators of PV installations on the roof should consider whether the subsequent upgrade of their solar power plant with a professional and certified fall protection system is feasible and sensible.

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360° solutions as a guarantee for success

Solar system installers capable of including a safety solution with their PV systems hold a clear edge over the competition. You can find out why this is the case in the following article.

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4 steps are necessary for professional fall protection on the PV system on the roof

Discover all the necessary information here. In this article, we explain in summary the four steps that will lead you to your fall protection for PV systems. This much in advance, everything starts with a plan...

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The right fall protection creates more space for the PV system

Here is an example from practice. ADREX relies on its proven one-stop-shop principle, in order to largely relieve its customers of all tasks related to their own roof-mounted solar power plants. This obviously also includes the selection and installation of a professional fall protection system for the PV installation.

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Correct servicing and inspection of your PV fall protection system protects you from many problems

The fall protection for your PV system on a roof is 100% safe only if it is also inspected regularly for signs of potential wear and tear, damage, or corrosion, and for loose mounts. Discover what matters.

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The professional way to install a fall protection system for your PV system on the roof

The detailed planning of the fall protection system for your PV system on the roof is followed by what is probably the most tantalising moment of the endeavour to make your solar power plant as safe and efficient as possible: the installation; the project is finally taking concrete shape. Discover what matters in the process.

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The installation of a fall protection system for your PV system on the roof requires a certain amount of expertise!

The same rules that apply in all other areas of life and work also hold true in the area of fall protection systems for PV systems installed on a roof: Solid initial and further training are of pivotal importance, especially when it comes to the correct installation and proper servicing / cleaning of the system and its individual solar panels.

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The aspects to focus on when planning a fall protection system for the PV system on your roof

The goal to harvest as much power as possible from your own solar power plant therefore hinges on the ability to maximise the utilisation of the roof surface, while securing the trouble-free operation of the solar power plant for the long term. This requires a comprehensive plan which factors in all details and also includes a professional system that protects against falls from a height.

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Fall protection systems for your PV system installed on the roof

There are questions that come up again and again when it comes to the safety of PV systems on the roof. We have summarised the 6 most frequently asked questions by installers and solar technicians and also show the challenges of PV systems on flat and pitched roofs. The focus is always on possible safety solutions to mitigate these.

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PV systems on a flat roof can be efficient and safe at the same time

In the examination of current practice below, we show you two individual solutions for flat roofs, together with the respective challenges which may be created by one’s own solar power plant. Discover the TAURUS rail system and the AIO lifeline system using Autohaus Nägele & Sohn GmbH and Autowelt Reibersdorfer as examples.

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5 tips relating to your PV system on the roof

How to save time and money. Installing a photovoltaic system on your own roof is always a good idea, because in this way a previously completely unused surface is availed of for the sustainable production of electricity for your household or company. But so that this success story really comes into being, as early as the planning phase of your PV system you should also create a professional safety concept, or get one created.

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Professional fall protection for your PV system on pitched roofs

Installation tasks on the photovoltaic system, as well as its servicing and cleaning, represent a particular challenge. An selection of possible security solutions including advantages can be discovered in the following article. In addition, the topic of access to the PV system on the pitched roof is also covered.

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Fall protection photovoltaics

Not all roofs are the same. In the same way that roof forms differ greatly, the dangers concealed during installation and servicing and cleaning tasks on PV systems are just as variable. For this reason, we present solutions for all cases here.

In this application area, when it comes down to the legally prescribed protection of employees against falling, planning a PV system on a roof starts and ends with a seamless, solid safety concept.

This not only means that, as a solar system installer, you can perform the installation tasks in absolute safety, but it consequently also provides the operators of the solar power plants absolute certainty in terms of fall protection. And: In this way, the costs to the clients can be significantly reduced, because there is then no need for them to have retrospective work performed, and they thus also save themselves the related logistical effort. However, the most important thing is that through the installation of a professional, certified fall protection system for PV installations, all servicing and cleaning tasks on the PV system can be performed 100% safely at all times, and the employees enjoy complete protection against falls.

A further outcome is that the PV modules always provide their best performance, and can therefore produce the maximum solar power. And in the medium and long term the PV system operators notice this positive effect on their wallets. 

 

The safety concept in detail for PV installations on a roof

It is essential that the professional, complete planning of fall protection systems for photovoltaic installations on a flat or pitched roof is performed holistically. This includes taking into account the latest technologies and standards which apply to fall protection. In addition, it is recommended that safety systems are planned to be user-friendly and easy to operate, because this in turn simplifies subsequent safety-relevant activities. Furthermore, the plan or safety concept must go into the actual circumstances of the location – for example, not just do angle of pitch and roof height play a fundamental role in the concept, but also can the characteristics of the building itself.

It is therefore very important to know whether the property is located in an area with high or low levels of snow, and accordingly which particular risks this could create. Last but not least, all documentation, inspections, and plans must be archived for the long term. However, first and foremost an exact assessment of the situation and an evaluation of the actual onsite situation must be carried out, so that a solid risk assessment can then be performed. This in turn forms the basis for determining the optimum fall protection measures for the respective project.

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When generating the safety concept, the following need to be clarified:

  • How frequently will the roof be accessed, and which tasks will be performed there?

 

  • How are the access routes to and on the roof (roof entry and exits, or ladders and ascent aids)? 

 

  • How are tools and cleaning or other material transported onto the roof?

 

  • How can the installation of the PV system and/or the fall protection system itself be performed safely?

 

  • In an emergency, how feasible is rescue using the operator's own equipment?

 

  • Which fall protection system is the best possible solution for the particular case? A basic distinction is made between individual and collective protection. 

 

The optimum safety solution can be defined only after an exact analysis of the onsite situation. For this, the various sources of danger for the roof in question must be determined in advance, in order that the most appropriate fall protection system for the PV installation can then be planned. But under all circumstances this must comply with the latest state of the art and be certified.

 

General principles of planning

Particularly when planning fall protection systems for PV installations on a roof, it is important to examine very closely all relevant details of the respective installation case. Because potential errors could have fatal consequences. And therefore you should under all circumstances count on an expert partner and install only certified safety solutions. Planning the fall protection system requires consideration of a number of aspects. These include location and type of the anchorage devices. On the one hand, these must be positioned correctly, so that all areas of the roof and the PV system can be accessed safely.

In addition, the anchorage must be selected with care so that, in combination with the substructure of the PV system, this creates a safe load-bearing unit. Accessing the roof is a particularly sensitive phase – darkness, weather conditions, snow, wet, ice, and wind must be taken into account in order to ensure danger-free access to the anchorage devices. Often, the workers are often holding tools or cleaning materials in their hands, and this makes the process even more dangerous. The anchorage devices for access must therefore be planned very carefully, and they must be within easy reach.

Furthermore, the characteristics and load-bearing capacity of the substructure must be determined exactly, in order to prevent dangerous break-throughs when working on the roof. If in doubt, a structural engineer should be consulted. You will find further details about the general planning principles here:

AUVA

SUVA

DGUV

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The actuals dangers, combined with potential safety solutions

Even if the whole roof is treated as a danger area (especially for pitched roofs), here too there are different risk zones. As soon as an installer or a service and cleaning worker comes closer than 2 metres to a fall edge, a special danger area with increased fall risk comes into consideration. These areas (generally the roof edge) may be accessed only if the workers are protected by additional protective measures such as anchorage devices, lifeline or rail systems in the adjacent protected area, or by collective protection, such as guardrails. But falls are not the only causes of accidents when working on the PV system; roof components which are break-through hazards also represent a significant potential danger.

 

The 4 most significant potential dangers at a glance:

  • The pitched roof as a danger area in itself
    A pitched roof is defined as a roof with an inclination greater than 22° – acute skidding and slipping dangerexists here. People who move on pitched roofs in the course of servicing or cleaning tasks on PV systems can protect themselves against falls only by using individual protection solutions. Above all, the AIO lifeline system is a proven fall protection system for pitched roofs. Depending on the actual circumstances, the lifeline system is also combined with other safety solutions, such as SAFETY ROOF HOOKS or SINGLE ANCHOR POINTS/POSTS.

    Recommendations in this area also include various SINGLE ANCHOR POINTS/POST SET ITEMS or, under certain conditions (above all on construction sites and building projects), the pre-installed KIT BOX SYSTEM.

 

  • The fall edge
    The fall edge is found at the perimeter of flat roofs. Especially here, there is an increased risk of falling! Tripping, slipping, or lack of attention in this fall risk area would mean a fall with disastrous consequences for the person positioned on the PV system and thus on the flat roof. Individual or collective protection solutions can provide a remedy here. The TAURUS rail safety system, the AIO lifeline system and SINGLE ANCHOR POINTS are suitable systems here. On a flat roof they can also be attached directly to the PV substructure.

    As a collective protection solution, the BARRIER guardrail system (VARIO, ATTIKA, and FLEECE) is available. However, a skylight positioned on a roof can also create a fall edge. The same safety solutions can also be used to provide reliable fall protection. In particular, the BARRIER-LICHTKUPPEL system would be suitable as a safety solution. 

 

  • Fall-through 
    The danger of fall-through is mostly concealed, and cannot be recognised at first sight. It is therefore all the more important to record this danger area, in the same way as all other potential dangers mentioned, in a holistic and professional plan. On a PV installation on a roof, the danger of fall-through can occur above all with fibre-cement panels, translucent plastic panels, glass roofs, or skylights. The ideal safety solutions for successfully neutralising these danger areas are above all LIGHT SKYLIGHT PROTECTION, the LIGHT SKYLIGHT PROTECTION NET, BARRIER-LICHTKUPPEL and EAP-MOBI.

 

  • The entrance or vertical ascent to the roof, and/or the descent.
    The entrance to a flat or pitched roof, and thus to the PV installation, is one of the four most significant potential dangers. Entrance can be made via a roof hatch as well as a ladder. The TAURUS VERTIKAL and VERT LIFELINE SYSTEM were specially developed for safe vertical ascent and descent, and they ensure safe access to the roof.

 

Tip:

On a flat roof, our TAURUS-HORIZONTAL safety solutions as a guided system, and AIO LIFELINE SYSTEM PASSABLE as a horizontally guided system, and our SINGLE ANCHOR POINTS can be attached directly to the PV substructure. The benefits of this are of full use of the entire roof surface; no need for roof penetration, thanks to installation directly on the PV substructure; no shadows are cast, so no degradation of PV system performance.  Find out more about this in our next blog post “Individual or collective protection? Which system is used when for PV installations on a roof?

 

Installation video of the AIO system on the AEROCOMPACT photovoltaic substructure

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Summary

In this application area, when it comes down to the legally prescribed protection of employees against falling, planning a PV system on a roof starts and ends with a seamless, solid safety concept. This because, in the potential danger situations named, a slight lack of attention can result in stumbling or slipping and end in a fall which frequently has disastrous consequences. Choosing the best possible fall protection system requires consideration of a number of aspects. You should therefore avail of a professional planning service. In this way, you cover all safety and legal aspects professionally and in a targeted manner, and you also save lives.

If you have further questions, simply contact us! We will be happy to support you in generating a professional safety concept for your PV system. So that you can sleep soundly when work needs to be done on your roof! If you too wish to enjoy the benefits of collaborating with a professional partner for fall protection systems, then you should download this guide immediately here.

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