Anchor points and static lines are two common forms of fall protection used to access solar panel systems on roofs.
In many commercial or industrial settings, the need to access solar panels is one that will arise often enough to make the installation of a permanent safe access and fall protection system worth considering.
Like any other piece of plant or equipment, a solar panel system requires ongoing maintenance after it has been initially installed. To keep panels performing at peak levels, cleaning is required regularly. Repair work and replacement may also need to be undertaken should a panel break or cease functioning.
All roofs present a safety risk
Just about every type of roof presents some form of height safety risk. Even flat ones.
From simply being raised several metres off the ground, to having low-grip surfaces because of dirt and debris build up through to being pitched the dangers are ever present.
Once the installation of a solar panel system is completed, even more risk areas can be added to the mix. Many solar power systems have their panels installed in dense layouts covering much of the available roof space. This can mean workers that previously may not have had need to access near an edge or unprotected area may now need to do so.
Roof anchors for solar panel access
Permanent roof anchor points are perhaps the single most common form of fall protection installed in working at heights environments in Australia.
A lack of moving parts, ease of use and low visual profile make them an ideal component of a height safety or fall protection system.
The familiarity workers will have with roof anchor points due to frequent usage also means they can be easily used to facilitate access to solar panel systems.
To create effective fall protection, a roof anchor point layout must be designed so that workers are kept in positions where they can use fall restraint technique to avoid the risks of a fall. To do this, each anchor point must be installed such that the distance a worker needs to travel to connect to the next anchor in the system is less than or equal to the distance to the nearest fall edge. The entire work area should also be able to be accessed without the worker needing to extend an adjustable rope line longer than the distance to the nearest fall edge.

This relative simplicity provides a cost-effective and efficient system for workers to access solar panel systems for maintenance and repair work.
However, if access to a row of panels near a fall edge is required, a different solution may be more useful.
Static lines for solar panel access
Static lines can provide a solution for safe access where it is needed between a row of solar panels and a roof edge.
Static lines work by allowing a worker to move along a predefined path, while staying connected to the fall protection system. The workers use a shuttle that runs along a tensioned stainless-steel cable to traverse the path of the line. Together with a lanyard, this allows the worker to access the areas they need to while remaining protected against the risk of a fall.

Which system will I need?
Without knowing the specifics of any one situation where access to a solar panel system will be required the answer can be either one, the other, or both.
One of the more common ways that roof anchors and static lines are combined is to provide safe access to a work area and then ongoing access to all aspects of the solar panel system.

In this example, a roof anchor and strop (first-man up cable) are used to transfer from the roof hatch onto the roof and then onto the static line system. Once connected to the static line, the worker can safely access all the roof edges and the solar panel system.
Height Safety Engineers
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