Originally published by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety
SafeWork NSW recently commenced a safety compliance blitz focusing on the safe installation of rooftop solar devices.
Inspectors are ensuring rooftop solar business owners are checking the safety of subcontractors and that those working in the industry are incorporating safe work practices across the board.
In 2022, SafeWork NSW inspectors visited 86 rooftop solar installation sites and observed a high level of non-compliance. During these inspections, 403 notices were issued, with fines totalling $216,864. Most notices issued were for falls from heights, followed by falling objects and electrical risks.
During the 2022 campaign, inspectors noted:
- 54 per cent of the sites that had fall protections in place were not adequate to keep workers safe
- 42 per cent of sites did not have adequate controls to prevent a fall through brittle or fragile roof materials e.g. no skylight covers, roof mesh, physical exclusion zones
- 64 per cent of workers who were wearing harnesses were not connected to the harness system
- 61 per cent of sites did not have a plan or diagram that showed the system layout, including access points, anchor point locations or location of fall hazards.
The regulator said workers in the rooftop solar panel installation industry are at high risk of serious or fatal incidents due to the recurrence of having no or inadequate fall protection in place.
Additionally, the reliance on harnesses for fall protection continues to place workers' lives at risk due to the high proportion of systems that are either set up incorrectly or not being used safely.
“Inspectors often find those in the solar industry taking shortcuts and endangering the lives of workers by not having adequate safety measures in place. We will be taking a zero-tolerance approach, and those caught will be fined and potentially prosecuted,” said Trent Curtin, head of SafeWork NSW.
“Falls from heights remain the number one cause of fatalities on building sites in NSW and SafeWork NSW is committed to bringing these concerning numbers down in 2024.
“Last year, preventing falls from heights was a regulatory priority for SafeWork NSW and this year we will continue to prioritise the safety of workers, especially those involved in the installation of solar panels.”
