Osha Solar Roof Requirements

Osha regulations for commercial roof inspections the occupational safety and health administration has set new guidelines for inspecting commercial roofs.

Osha solar roof requirements.

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. If you run a solar installation company these are important to be aware of because it is your responsibility to ensure a safe workplace. Install warning lines no closer than 5 feet inside the roof edges and at a height of 34 to 45 inches. 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.

Related to installing solar panels. Lay headers sheets of roofing or other materials no closer than 5 feet inside the edges of the roof and parallel to the roofline. Osha has different fall protection requirements for construction installation of solar panels and general industry maintenance. Published in july 2019.

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. These include using roof anchors and safety cords for roof inspections. If you choose to walk on a roof without these you will be out of compliance with osha regulations and subject to fines. 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.

Court of appeals for the ninth circuit resulted in a significant implications for safety standards for contractors performing roofing work. 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. 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. The court determined that rooftop solar panel installation is not roofing work under osha regulations.

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. A june decision by the u s. Solar panel installation is not roofing work.