The guidance on this page complements information in our Notice to Market, which sets out the mandatory and recommended requirements for retailers and installers to participate in the Solar Homes and Solar for Business programs.
Use this guidance along with our Solar PV Audit Checklists and Battery Audit Checklist to ensure installations under our programs are compliant and meet the high standards we have set.
Legislation and regulations
Commonly identified legislation and regulations within the solar industry include:
- Victorian Occupational Health and Safety
- Electricity Safety
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Electricity Safety (General)
A full list of legislation and regulations related to the solar industry is listed on the Energy Safe and WorkSafe websites.
Compliance codes and codes of practice also play an important role. They explain your duties or obligations under legislation in practical ways that are aimed to help you comply.
See WorkSafe compliance codes and codes of and ESV electrical technical guidelines and .
Australian Standards
Installers in our solar programs must adhere to current and relevant standards for the design and installation of solar and battery storage systems.
These are made mandatory through:
- legislation and/or regulations; and/or
- normative reference from a mandated standard (commonly AS/NZS 3000 – Wiring Rules); and
- are required by the Solar Victoria Notice to Market
Penalties for failing to meet Australian Standards vary. Solar Victoria may suspend or cancel an installer or retailer from its programs for non-compliance. See Installer terms and conditions and Retailer terms and conditions.
Commonly identified AS/NZS Standards within the solar industry include, but are not limited to:
| AS/NZS 1170 Series | Structural Design Actions(All parts) |
| AS/NZS 1768 | Lightning Protection |
| AS/NZS 3000 | Electrical Installations (known as Wiring Rules) |
| AS/NZS 4509 Series | Stand-alone power systems
|
| AS/NZS 4777 Series | Grid Connections of Energy Systems via Inverters
|
| AS/NZS 5033 | Installation of photovoltaic (PV) arrays |
| AS/NZS 5139 | Electrical installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment |
Guidance
Industry guidance informs retailers and installers of leading practice. It may be voluntary in nature or made mandatory through the Solar Victoria Notice to Market.
Energy Safe Victoria, WorkSafe Victoria and Solar Victoria develop guidance to inform installers and retailers of non-compliances found within installations.
The following solar industry guidance plus installation guidance news can be found on the Energy Safe Victoria :
- How to ensure you have a compliant PV installation.
- Working safely when installing photovoltaic (PV) systems.
- Identifying mismatched d.c. connectors in PV installations
- Grid connected inverter requirements from 18 December 2021.
Also see:
- PV d.c. isolators and for guidance in addition to the requirements of AS/NZS 3000, AS/NZS 5033 and all other applicable standards.
Technical solution and guidance sheets
Series 1 – Technical solution sheets: Working safely at height
We developed this series of technical solution sheets in collaboration with WorkSafe Victoria to help installers in our programs work safely in the solar industry. Use this series to plan safe systems of work while installing photovoltaic systems.
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Falls while working at height remains the most serious risk associated with solar panel installations, so it is crucial to assess all risks and plan a safe approach to the installation. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.1 -
Edge protection is a passive fall prevention system used to protect workers when working at heights. It acts as a physical and visible barrier around the perimeter of a work area to help prevent employees, tools, and equipment from falling. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.2 -
Manual handling is work such as manually lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving or holding solar panels and other heavy and bulky items. During solar installations, injuries can occur while undertaking hazardous manual handling. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.3 -
Employers have a duty to provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health. The use of portable ladders presents a risk of fatal or serious injury for anyone needing to gain access to a roof or conduct light tasks. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.4 -
Elevating work platforms (EWPs) are mobile mechanical plant designed to lift or lower people, tools, and equipment by a telescopic, hinged or articulated system from a base support to and from an elevated position. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.5 -
Many fatalities and serious injuries associated with installing solar panels are caused by people falling from a roof, through a roof, through an opening in a roof or while accessing a roof. Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.6 -
Asbestos-containing material (ACM) is any material or object that contains one or more of the mineral silicates, chrysotile (often called white asbestos), crocidolite (often called blue asbestos) or amosite (often called brown asbestos). Read more:
Download Working safely at height – Technical solution sheet 1.7
Series 2: Technical guidance sheets: Battery installation safety
These technical guidance sheets are part of a series we commissioned TechSafe to develop. Energy Safe has also reviewed this guidance. To help installers maintain standards, they include installation advice and examples of compliance and non-compliant installations relating to the following:
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This guidance provides further information to support installers’ understanding of applicable requirements in AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical installations - Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment.
Download Battery installation safety – Technical guidance sheet 2.1 -
This guidance provides further information to support installers’ understanding of applicable requirements in:
- AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical installations - Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment
- AS/NZS 1530.1-1994 Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 1: Combustibility test for materials
- AS/NZS 4777.1:2016 - Grid connection of energy systems via inverters, Part 1: Installation requirements.
Download Battery installation safety – Technical guidance sheet 2.2 -
This guidance provides further information to support installers’ understanding of applicable requirements in:
- AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical installations - Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment
- AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules).
Download Battery installation safety – Technical guidance sheet 2.3
Solar industry links
Electrical Regulatory Authorities provides resources and publications about electrical products, installations and solar/small scale generation resources.
WorkSafe provides guidance and assistance to ensure all employers and employees have a safe workplace in the electrical and solar industry. See and guidance.
Reviewed 22 March 2023
