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Publish Date: June 24th, 2024
Have you ever considered what the key is to finding a commercial solar installer that can best provide you with a high-quality, high-performance, long-lasting solar system? Truth be told it can be hard to decipher which commercial solar installer is going to be your best partner when evaluating proposals. One key indicator that you can look at to ensure quality results is their safety record. Working with a commercial solar installer that prioritizes safety is a great indicator of how they treat their people and how they prioritize quality versus cutting corners.
Safety is an often-overlooked area that is commonly skimped on to save a buck. We’ll go above and beyond at Namaste Solar when it comes to safety standards. And safety is one of our eight core values. This commitment to doing things different and doing things better shows up in the quality of design, installation, and long-term maintenance we provide to our customers.
In this blog, we’ll dig into safety standards for commercial solar installers, examples of safety in action, and how to evaluate proposals with a lens on safety.
What Are the Safety Standards for Commercial Safety Installers?
All commercial solar installers have Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards that they are legally required to follow. But following even those basic standards isn’t a given. “You never know what you’re going to get when you’re looking at safety,” shared Carie Cave, one of our commercial project managers. “I’ve definitely had scary experiences with other companies at past jobs who didn’t follow safety practices.”
She went on to say that Namaste Solar’s safety record and reputation are some of the biggest reasons she wanted to work here. “That’s one of the things that I appreciate about Namaste Solar, our team leads, and construction managers; that safety is always number one over our timelines, our schedule, everything. I’ve been very impressed with the amount of time we spend talking about safety,” said Carie.
At Namaste Solar, following the bare minimum OSHA safety standards isn’t enough. “We look at OSHA standards, much like the NEC or electrical code, as a minimum,” said Alex Garland, a Namaste Solar Co-owner and Senior Construction Manager. “So, we certainly follow regular OSHA safety regulations and then add layers to that. We have to comply with industry standards, and we take that standard and look at how we can exceed those standards when it comes to safety.”
Examples of Safety in Action at Namaste Solar
So, what does it actually look like to go above and beyond the safety standards?
“Safety is the guiding light. It’s our number one priority. Quality being second. Production being third,” said Alex. “Everything we do, we look through the safety lens. We want everyone to go home safely. We don’t want to have any injuries on the site for multiple reasons, primarily the individual. We’re not the type of company that comes in and tries to just knock things out as quick as we can. A lot of companies operate as if production is the number one priority. It’s the third priority for us.”
On a day-to-day basis, safety plays out in a number of ways. “We have two safety meetings a week in Denver and Boulder, whether it’s in person or hopping on a video meeting,” shared Carie. “Our Job Hazard Analysis’ (JHA’s) are thorough, and they’re completed every day, at every site. In the morning, it’s one of the first things the crews are talking about.”
Alex added, “We do toolbox talks on a weekly basis as well. We look at what we’re doing, what risks are associated with what we’re doing, and measures we can take to mitigate those risks.”
On top of the standard operating procedures and checklists that our commercial install teams go through, we have built a strong culture of safety. “Every individual on our team has the authority to stop work,” said Alex. “Everybody on the team has that open door to consult or to say something to our subcontractors and our own team when they see something that is unsafe. And then it’s a conversation. Is it unsafe? Or is it part of the scope of the varying safety hazards we’re exposed to? So, everyone has that authority.”
“Our crews do a really good job of looking out for one another,” Carie said. “For every project we create a safety action plan that talks about any specifics on the job site – whether we’re working with other contractors, multiple roof faces, things like that.”
A specific example of job site safety in action is taking place in Bennett, Colorado where our install crews are currently working. It’s a more remote location, and they are working to build a ground mount system on a large field.
“There are lots of rattlesnakes out there,” said Alex. “So, we figured out together where we’d meet [in the event of a bite], where the nearest medical facility is, what transportation is available, etc. And we figured this out all before beginning any work. If somebody were to get bit by a rattlesnake, driving an hour and fifteen minutes is probably not the viable option. We would medivac in that scenario. When we’re 2 miles from the hospitals, that’s a lot different than when we’re an hour and fifteen minutes away. We have safety action plans in place that accommodate each site that we work on and the risks that we’re exposed to.”
Why Safety Should Matter to You as a Commercial Client
Okay, but so what? When you decide to go solar as a commercial property owner your core focus is likely making a sound financial investment and environmental decision. So, why should it matter to you that your commercial solar installer has high safety standards?
According to Rachel Mountain, Co-Owner and our Director of Commercial Sales, “Safety goes hand in hand with quality. Some customers who might be tempted to go with a low bid, for example, might be getting that low bid because the company pricing it is not going to build a quality system and they’re not going to follow safety standards. Whereas paying a higher price for an asset that lasts 30 years and is built well by local contractors who get to go home safely every night is worth it.”
While our people-centric approach prioritizes worker safety, there are other dangers when it comes to sacrificing safety standards. Clients risk paying more in maintenance costs or dealing with unnecessary damages if systems are installed incorrectly.
“We have to install things safely,” said Rachel. “If the rapid shutdown isn’t installed correctly and there’s an emergency and the system doesn’t turn off when it’s supposed to, it could create more damage or injure first responders. In that case, the customer is going to have damaged property and lots of headaches and insurance claims to go through. Plus, installing safely has the potential to cut down Operation and Maintenance costs for our customers. It’s about our people being safe, but we also install these components safely so as not to damage their properties.”
At Namaste Solar, we’ll always prioritize doing the job right even if it takes longer. And for you that means a high-integrity, high-quality result that’ll last 25+ years. We work with the mentality that doing it right is more important than doing it as quickly as possible. An example Alicia Creighton, Co-Owner and Commercial Project Developer, points out is installing on pitched roofs. “It’d be quicker for us not to use safety harnesses, roof anchors and ropes when we’re doing a pitched roof as this gear, by design, requires you move slower and more thoughtfully. We do things the right way versus trying to do it quickly.”
Finally, choosing a reputable commercial solar installer with an exemplary safety record has a positive impact on the industry. Because there are companies who prioritize profit and production over safety, choosing a safe and reputable commercial installer helps make the industry safer for everyone. “There’s this part of consumer protection, right?,” said Rachel, “We don’t want a bunch of fly-by-the-night solar companies out there installing cheap systems with no regard for safety or quality just so they can make a quick buck. That kind of work really tarnishes the rest of the industry. We want solar to be full of high-integrity companies, like Namaste Solar, so that consumers can feel comfortable when they’re making decisions.”
How to Spot High-Quality Commercial Solar Installers
So, how do you know if your commercial solar installer makes the cut when it comes to following safety standards?
“As a first clue, do they mention it?” said Rachel. “Did they or can they share safety records in terms of EMR [experience modification rating]? That’s a common safety benchmark that compares a company’s safety record and worker’s compensation claims history to those of its industry peers. Also, there are required ratios for licensed electricians to apprentices in the state of Colorado. It’s one electrician for three apprentices. And there are some companies out there not following those rules at all. So, it’s obviously safer when you’re doing electrical work that you have the right number of licensed people to oversee the apprentices. We always let our clients know that we’re meeting city and state requirements for licensed professionals doing this work, and we list this directly in our proposals.”
Namaste Solar is Committed to Safety and Quality Installs
Safety is absolutely connected to integrity. If you have a commercial solar installer who adheres to (or goes above and beyond) safety standards, that shows their values are aligned and that they’ll show up with high integrity in other facets, too. We’re proud to have such a strong reputation when it comes to safety at Namaste Solar.
“We’ve raised the bar in our approach to safety,” said Alex. “I think people paying attention to the details of our safety protocols absolutely bleeds into a higher quality product because they’re bringing that same attention to detail to every task that they do.”
If you’re interested in seeing what it’s like to work with a high-integrity commercial solar installer, we’d love to chat with you. At Namaste Solar, we know that doing our work safely provides high-quality results that impact your experience going solar and the industry as a whole.
