11.08.2022 | PV/flat roofs

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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Specialist series: Absturzsicherung auf PV-Anlagen

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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.

A properly and professionally performed installation of the fall protection system for your PV system is paramount to ensuring safety during cleaning and maintenance work on your roof.

Selina Bauchinger

To avoid any unpleasant surprises down the road, the key aspect to keep in mind during this process is to entrust only trained and certified personnel with the task of mounting the fall protection system either directly on the roof or directly on the substructure of the PV system. After all, the system will have to save lives in a worst-case scenario. Depending on customer requirements, the selected fall protection system will be delivered to the customer or directly to the construction site.

Another option is, of course, to pick up the fall protection system along with the fastening material from INNOTECH yourself. We also provide a variety of information material, which should be studied carefully prior to installation. In addition to exceedingly detailed product instructions, this material also comprises videos that can be used as a sound guide for the correct installation. What is more, everything has been packaged and labelled in a way that is very simple and easy to understand, allowing the installer or solar technician to determine exactly where the different elements need to go.

And, unlike with other providers – e.g. in the furniture industry – you will never encounter that last random screw that may or may not be left over. Part of the reason is that our product descriptions will always tell you specifically which tool will be required for the respective step of the installation. This is yet another essential advantage - especially in a project of this magnitude.

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Depending on customer requirements, the delivery can be made precisely to a specific location, i.e. to exactly the place where it is needed. If you, for instance, operate with an on-site crane to hoist the products onto the roof, we will drop off the products close to this crane in order to avoid often laborious trips back and forth between locations. Better still, INNOTECH can also arrange for a professional installation partner - even world-wide - if you yourself have been trained and certified to install the corresponding fall protection system. This may help you soothe both your pocketbook and your nerves. This is because our network is composed exclusively of certified professionals who possess extensive know-how about our products and know exactly what they are doing. 

 

Useful installation kits from INNOTECH 

Another service offered by INNOTECH are the installation cases for your safety systems. They are available in two different versions: Mont-Start and Mont-Pro. Both are tool boxes that have been fitted out especially for this purpose and with exactly the tools needed to complete the installation of the fall protection system. The main benefit is that these compact cases hold everything the installer or customer will need. This way, they will not have to go to the hardware store and can save themselves the trouble of finding and purchasing the tools separately. After all, that procedure would not only cost a great deal of time but, in most cases, an additional amount of money. And: There are cases when you come to the shocking realisation on the construction site that you have purchased the wrong tools.

How long does the installation take?

The time needed for the installation hinges on a variety of factors. First and foremost, on the product itself, i.e. the fall protection system for your PV installation. The system may be composed of a lifeline or rail system or simply of single anchor points (EAPs). Naturally, the roof surface you wish to secure / the size of the PV system and the pitch of the roof play key roles as well. Last, but not least, the skills and expertise of the installer or solar technician can speed up the installation process as well.

Aside from ensuring that every step of the installation goes off without a hitch, they also take care to tighten everything firmly and properly and to observe all edge and post spacings as well as the specifications laid down during the planning stage. These are factors that are of great relevance to the final inspection of the fall protection system, which subjects the entire system to a thorough examination before it is given approval. 

While it is not easy to provide specific details on the installation duration, you can use the following information as guidelines and convert / extrapolate it to the size of the project you have planned. 

  • The installation of a lifeline system with a running length of approx. 35 metres takes roughly 13 hours. 
  • You can expect about 19 hours for the installation of a rail system with a length of 35 metres.

 

Acceptance and documentation of the installation

In the course of final acceptance, the entire system, i.e. the PV system along with the substructure of the fall protection system, will be put through its paces. This is necessary as a measure to guarantee that the entire structure will stand up to the forces generated in an emergency and, thus, prevent falls. This is why the inspection subjects every bolt to close examination and also verifies, if necessary, that it is tightened to the correct torque. This is when, at the latest, proper and professional installation will pay off as it will clear the way for the system's final approval.

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In the course of the documentation, every fastening point of the fall protection system will be photographed and - ideally - uploaded to the digital documentation tool INNO|doc. While you can, of course, also use other types of acceptance logs, you might want to consider the obvious advantage of a fully automated tool:

The INNO|doc tool makes documenting the fall protection system considerably easier and faster. It allows installers and solar technicians to record all of their customers in a compact and neatly arranged way with just one tool and manage all of their projects with the press of a button. An automatic reminder helps them remember to conduct the annual inspection of each fall protection system. Better yet, INNO|doc is suitable for all mobile devices.

 

Summary

A properly and professionally performed installation of the fall protection system for your PV system is paramount to ensuring safety during cleaning and maintenance work on your roof. That is the reason why this essential work step should be entrusted to properly trained and certified staff only. Our company boasts a tight and extensive network of professional installation partners all over Austria, who will install your fall protection system correctly from beginning to end and thus help you save time and soothe your nerves.

Other useful aids are our installation cases and our digital documentation tool INNO|doc as they, respectively, make the installation and documentation of your protection system an absolute breeze. Simply contact us if you have further questions! Our experts at INNOTECH will be happy to lend their assistance during the installation of the fall protection for the PV system fitted on your roof. We also invite you to download our new handbook to learn more.

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