This document aims to provide clear, accessible guidelines for the safe maintenance, cleaning, and monitoring of domestic and commercial rooftop solar installations in the UK. The information in it is not intended to be an exhaustive list, and it must be stressed that all contractors and workers are responsible for ensuring they follow relevant legislation and codes of practice.

Regular maintenance, monitoring and cleaning may assist the effective life and power generation of a solar PV system, reducing the risk of damage and prolonging the life of major components.

This document provides advice on how to do this for roof-mounted solar systems. Solar Energy UK welcomes feedback and will incorporate this and further issues into the next version of these guidelines.

Health and safety is the most important consideration for all O&M activity, and so the guide begins with a discussion of safety topics. This includes core principles, the need for professional training, and how to plan for and carry out work at height.

The guide then considers key inspection and maintenance activities, and common faults these should help identify. Next, it discusses aspects of solar panel cleaning and site security. The final section provides information on warranty issues.

Note that the basis for all solar panel operations and maintenance should be consultation with professional solar companies for advice, and to consider the specific needs for each system on a site-by-site basis.

These guidelines are intended to inform the work of solar operations and maintenance (O&M) companies, solar installation companies who deliver an O&M service and the clients who engage them. These guidelines provide an overview of issues which should be taken into account to ensure the safe maintenance and cleaning of rooftop solar systems in the UK.

They outline key obligations for those planning to and working on roofs, and information needed to make informed decisions about how to do so safely. All rooftop solar O&M should be carried out by professional solar installation and/or solar O&M companies who hold MCS accreditation.