Solar Panel Installation Method Statement: A Practical Guide for UK Contractors
If you're installing solar panels on domestic or commercial roofs, a method statement isn't a box-ticking exercise — it's the document that tells your team exactly how to carry out the work safely, step by step. Combined with a risk assessment (together forming a RAMS), it is your primary tool for managing the real hazards on site.
What Is a Method Statement for Solar Panel Installation?
A method statement is a structured, written description of how a specific task will be carried out safely. It doesn't stand alone — it sits alongside a risk assessment that identifies the hazards and their controls. Together they form a RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement).
The risk assessment duty sits under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which requires every employer and self-employed person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks arising from their work.
Solar installation is almost always construction work, so the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) will also apply. On domestic projects with a single contractor, you are likely acting as the only contractor, with duties that include planning, managing and monitoring the work to ensure it is carried out without risk to health and safety.
Why Solar Panel Installation Carries Significant Risk
Before writing the method statement, understand the hazards you're actually controlling:
- Falls from height — working on pitched or flat roofs is the leading cause of fatal injuries in construction. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require you to avoid working at height where possible, use collective protection (edge protection, scaffolding) before personal protection (harnesses), and ensure any equipment used is suitable and properly inspected.
- Manual handling — solar panels are bulky and awkward. Roof-mounted hoisting equipment significantly reduces injury risk compared to hand-carrying panels up ladders.
- Electrical hazards — PV systems generate DC voltage as soon as they are exposed to light, including during installation. This cannot be switched off simply by isolating the inverter. Live working risks must be explicitly addressed.
- Fragile roof surfaces — roof lights, asbestos cement sheets, and some tiles cannot support a person's weight without additional precautions such as crawl boards or roof ladders.
- Asbestos — on older buildings, roofing materials may contain asbestos. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, you must not disturb suspected asbestos-containing materials without a prior survey and appropriate controls.
What Your Method Statement Must Cover
A well-written solar panel installation method statement should address the following sections:
1. Project and Site Details
Name of the project, site address, client details, the contractor responsible, and the date of issue. Include a version number so superseded copies are identifiable.
2. Description of the Work
A clear summary of what is being installed — panel type, quantity, mounting system, inverter location, cable routing, and connection point. Include the sequence of operations from roof preparation through to commissioning.
3. Operatives and Competence
List the roles on site (site supervisor, roofers, electricians) and the qualifications or training required — for example, MCS accreditation, IPAF licence if using a MEWP, or PASMA card for tower scaffolds. Electrical connection should only be carried out by a Part P-competent electrician or one registered with a competent person scheme.
4. Plant, Equipment and Materials
Specify the access equipment to be used (scaffold, MEWP, roof ladder), materials handling equipment, PPE required, and test equipment. State inspection requirements — for example, that tower scaffold is inspected before first use and after any event that may have affected stability.
5. Step-by-Step Safe Working Sequence
| Stage | Key Controls |
|---|---|
| Site set-up and exclusion zone | Barriers below working area; signage |
| Roof access | Scaffold or MEWP erected by competent persons |
| Roof survey / fragile surface check | Crawl boards where required |
| Panel delivery to roof level | Mechanical hoist preferred; team lifts with a lift plan |
| Mounting rail installation | Anchor points checked against structural loading |
| Panel placement and clamping | Operative clipped to anchor if on pitched roof |
| DC cabling | Panels covered/shaded where practicable; insulated tools |
| Inverter installation | Carried out by competent electrician |
| Commissioning and testing | All personnel clear of array during live testing |
| Site clearance | Waste segregated; scaffold struck by competent firm |
6. Emergency Arrangements
Nearest A&E, first aider on site, emergency contacts, and the procedure if someone falls or receives an electric shock. Confirm first aid kit is on site.
7. Environmental Controls
Panel packaging disposal, any chemical waste from cleaning products, and protection of drains if working near flat roof drainage systems.
Keeping Your Method Statement Live
A method statement is only useful if it reflects actual site conditions. Review and re-issue it if:
- The access method changes
- You discover a fragile roof surface not previously identified
- There is a near miss or change in scope
Brief every operative against the current version before work starts, and keep a record of that briefing. A method statement filed in a van and never read does not protect anyone.
This article is educational guidance. It does not constitute legal advice, and following it does not guarantee compliance with any specific legal duty. Always assess the specific circumstances of your project.