What security is needed to install solar panels and who is responsible in an accident?

Elena Cano, Prevention consultant at

Cano began by explaining what the preventive work that, as a Mutual Collaborator with Social Security, carries out Fraternidad-Muprespa with the mutual companies consists of, to then explain the main sources of workplace accidents, among which he highlighted accidents in the field of agriculture, at the provincial level, and falls in height when installing solar panels, at the provincial level. national.

“Working at height with heavy pieces requires a level of safety that has a cost, and when a cheap budget is chosen, the expense is reduced in this chapter. Sometimes we are not aware of the risk to which these workers or self-employed workers are exposed,” he highlighted.

Accidents are serious not only for workers and companies, but also for those who contract these installations, for example, a private citizen in a single-family home, or the president of a neighborhood association if the installation is to take place in a residential block. “Choosing an installer ignoring security measures makes them assume responsibility that may be criminal or administrative.” 

Next, the specialist explained the work process of a prevention technician, from the moment the company requests support to identify the dangers in its workplace, the technician visits the space, assesses the main risks and offers possible solutions so that the company provides economic, human and technical means to resolve them. 

As a final message, Elena Cano highlighted that “the only way to have safe work spaces is for there to be awareness, for this security to be perceived as something necessary, about the consequences of taking risks.” In 2022 in Jaén, eight employed people and one self-employed person died in work accidents. The total number of work accidents recorded was 5,139.  

Here you can listen to the entire interview