Osha Solar Roof Requirements

Construction workers involved in the installation of solar panels exposed to fall distances of 6 feet or more must be protected from falls by using one of the following methods.

Osha solar roof requirements.

Osha requires that fall protection is provided at elevations of 6 feet in the construction industry like on top of a roof and when working with dangerous equipment and machinery such. Court of appeals for the ninth circuit resulted in a significant implications for safety standards for contractors performing roofing work. For electrical contractors involved in solar roof installations who think that the same occupational safety and health administration osha safety requirements apply to their workers that apply to roofers a recent court ruling may come as a surprise. If you choose to walk on a roof without these you will be out of compliance with osha regulations and subject to fines.

Solar panel installation is not roofing work. Install warning lines no closer than 5 feet inside the roof edges and at a height of 34 to 45 inches. Place warning lines and headers around the entire roof perimeter. A california based electrical contractor was working on a rooftop solar installation and assumed its workers were expected to comply with osha fall protection standards for roofers instead of the more stringent.

A june decision by the u s. Lay headers sheets of roofing or other materials no closer than 5 feet inside the edges of the roof and parallel to the roofline. Occupational safety and health act requires employers to comply with safety and health standards promulgated by osha or by a state with an osha approved state plan. Osha has different fall protection requirements for construction installation of solar panels and general industry maintenance.

In addition the act s section 5 a 1 the general duty clause requires employers to provide their workers with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death. The occupational safety and health administration osha has developed a set of standards regarding fall protection as a way to prevent work related injuries and deaths. Related to installing solar panels. When contractors are hired to install solar panels on roofs with unprotected sides and edges more than six feet above a lower level they have three options.

What can contractors take away from the osha enforcement standard and the decision in bergelectric corp. The court determined that rooftop solar panel installation is not roofing work under osha regulations. If you run a solar installation company these are important to be aware of because it is your responsibility to ensure a safe workplace.