<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Garrison<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#44546A'>Garrison Riegel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#44546A'>PV Operations Manager | </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.solarserviceinc.com/"><i><span style='color:#222A35'>Solar Service Inc</span></i></a></span><span style='color:#44546A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#44546A'>[p] 847-677-0950 | </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:garrison@solarserviceinc.com"><span style='color:#44546A;text-decoration:none'>garrison@solarserviceinc.com</span></a></span><span style='color:#44546A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#44546A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#44546A'>NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Daniel Young<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 13, 2015 9:31 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches' <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Serviceable equipment on a roof<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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…”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With Regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Daniel Young, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional<sup>TM</sup>: Cert #031508-90<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>