Michael Fleischmann 
When it comes to occupational safety in relation to PV, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the complex and costly scaffolding of the building that is required for safe installation on a pitched or flat roof. But that’s not all. Work on the roof itself, for maintenance etc., must also be secured. That’s why we have our AeroFix Latch fall protection system, which is the subject of today’s article. (more…)
Before mounting systems are allowed to be installed, they must comply with corresponding standards, including EN 1991-1-4. Beside all the specifications regarding statics, materials, etc., this standard, including the national annex, contains specific information about wind loads to which PV systems and their mounting systems on roofs are exposed. In times of increasingly strong storms and even hurricanes this is indispensable for safety and must be included in the development. That is why the solar industry relies on so-called wind tunnel tests to keep the ballast of roof-penetration-free flat roof systems as low as necessary. In this blog entry, we explain how these tests are structured and what needs to be taken into account. (more…)
One thing is for sure, it doesn’t get any greener than installing a photovoltaic system on a green roof. Recent reports have shown that this combination is very effective and has a positive effect on the performance of PV modules, for example, green roofs improve the PV yield. On top of that, the ecological aspect is of course also interesting, as green areas enable new species-rich habitats for flora and fauna due to the partial shading of the roof. There is no doubt that the combination of PV and green roof has its advantages, but there are also some things to consider. (more…)
In recent years a series of storms have swept across Europe. The list comprises some prominent storms in Germany like hurricane Niklas (2015), storm Xavier (2017), hurricane Friederike (2018), hurricane Sabine, and storm Victoria (both in 2020). During the last hurricane named Sabine, winds reached speeds of up to 177 km/h. Even in the lowlands, speeds of around 150 km/h could still be measured. This is a good enough reason for us to take a closer look at the calculation of PV systems. Because one thing is for certain – there will be more hurricanes on the way!
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Flat roofs are still of high relevance when it comes to the installation of PV systems. As already explained in previews articles of this blog series, the usage of roofs will change from not-used to used as soon as a PV system is installed. This results in a potential danger that previously safe work paths are now blocked. Therefore, the risk analysis has changed which particularly effects necessary work on roofs. In this sense, it may happen that paths for roof work, for example for the maintenance and servicing of water pipes or climate or ventilation systems which are now within fall hazard areas. In such cases, a safe working condition within this area is important. System operators as well as designated companies are in charge of the responsibility to create a risk analysis.(more…)