Preventing falls in the solar industry: The California FACE program

Policy makers have responded to global warming and the declining economy by authoring legislation to increase renewable energy capacity and funding green-collar job training. Within the solar industry, jobs for installation occupations are projected to grow the fastest, increasing by 41% and adding over 5,800 jobs in California by 2013. Risks for fatal injury among solar installers have been identified by the California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (CA FACE) program. This training video explains the events that led up to a solar installer falling 45 feet from an apartment roof. Investigation findings and photographs from the previously-published FACE fatality report are supplemented with scenes ‘re-created' by workers in the field. Prevention recommendations are highlighted, and the victim is remembered with photos provided by family members. This video will be used by solar employers, unions, trade associations and others to prevent workplace fatalities.