[RE-wrenches] Serviceable equipment on a roof

[Garrison Riegel]

It sounds like he is trying to enforce IBC 1013.5, which requires guarding
of “mechanical equipment” which is installed within 10’ of a roof edge.  In
a similar situation I have successfully argued that PV modules have no
moving parts and are “electrical equipment”, therefore this requirement does
not apply.  Permanent anchors also sound like a good, although expensive
solution.

 

Garrison

 

Garrison Riegel

PV Operations Manager |  <http://www.solarserviceinc.com/> Solar Service Inc

[p] 847-677-0950 |  <mailto:garrison at solarserviceinc.com>
garrison at solarserviceinc.com

 

NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™

 

 

 

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On
Behalf Of Daniel Young
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2015 9:31 AM
To: 'RE-wrenches' <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Serviceable equipment on a roof

 

We have a job going in on  1 ¼”:12 standing seam commercial roof. When we
tried to walk the drawings through the permit department, we were told that
we had to keep the solar modules 10’ from the roof edge because they are
serviceable equipment.

 

We’ve run into this before, and have been successful arguing that the solar
modules are not installed as serviceable equipment (they require service
intervals closer to the roof membrane on flat roofs [little to no attention
for 20+yrs], rather than the roof top AC unit as an example). We install all
pass-thru boxes or other similar enclosures at least 10’ from the roof edge
as well to make it clear the most likely parts to be inspected/serviced
would be safe. We also pointed out the International Fire codes rules on
keeping the array 4’ from the edge of the roof (smaller commercial building,
so we are in the 4’ setback category, rather than the 6’ setback). To all
this he said “you can’t tell me that no one will ever service those solar
modules. If someone falls off the roof and dies, I wanna be able to say I
did my job
”

 

So, I think my only option is to point to a well backed definition for
serviceable equipment to show him that the solar modules do not qualify.
Does anyone have any good source to help with this issue? Or would the
majority of you say that 10’ is the right call anyway?

 

I know I might just be up against a hard ^%$# inspector and have to just go
with it, but I also do not want to set precedent within my states default
commercial code agency if I don’t have to.

 

With Regards,

 

Daniel Young, 

NABCEP Certified PV Installation ProfessionalTM: Cert #031508-90

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