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NFPA TODAY - JULY 24, 2020 BACK TO BLOGS LANDING PAGE

Many Factors to Consider When

Providing Access to Roofs with a
Photovoltaic System Installed
BY VALERIE ZIAVRAS

The use of renewable energy is on the rise and one popular source is
photovoltaics (PV). Section 11.12 in the 2018 Edition of NFPA 1, Fire Code
covers everything related to PV installations from marking to rapid shutdown to
accessways. There are a number of things to consider when installing a PV system
on the roof of a building, but perhaps the most popular topic for questions has to do
with the required pathways. Providing proper pathways is extremely important
because firefighters need access to the roof for firefighting operations. Often, there
is confusion about the size and location of the required pathways. The pathway
requirements are different for PV arrays installed on one- and two-family dwellings
and townhouses than they are for all other buildings. Here, we will focus on the
pathway requirements for all those other buildings.

There are essentially three types of pathways that are required. The first type
ensures firefighters will be able to get on the roof and are often called perimeter
pathways. The second type of pathway ensures that firefighters can move around
the roof once they have gained access. These are referred to as “other pathways” in
the Code. The final type of pathways provide access to areas for ventilation. The size
of the perimeter pathways is going to depend on the building size. For any building
with a length or width greater than 250 ft (76.2 m), a minimum 6 ft (1829 mm)
pathway is required on all sides. If both the length and width are 250 ft (76.2 m) or
less, then the pathway is only required to be a minimum of 4 ft (1219 mm). The
images below show what these pathways look like in plain view.
The “other pathways” required by the Code allow firefighters to move around
the roof as needed. These types of pathways are required under three
different conditions. The first is to provide straight line access to ventilation
hatches and/or roof standpipes. Wherever ventilation hatches and
standpipes are located a pathway of at least 48 in (1219 mm) must be
provided. A 48 in (1219 mm) pathway around all roof access hatches must
also be provided. In addition to the pathway around the roof access hatch, at
least one 48 in pathway must be provided from the roof access hatch to the
roof edge or parapet. The last type in this group is to ensure that there is a
pathway every 150 ft (46 m). The 150 ft distance cannot be exceeded in
either the length or the width of the building. This essentially limits the PV
array to a maximum size of 150 ft by 150 ft (46 m by 46 m).

The final category of pathways required are for smoke ventilation. The third
type of pathway listed in the “other pathway” paragraph, which limits the array
size to 150 ft by 150 ft (46 m by 46 m), will be used to provide ventilation
options. The width of this pathway will depend on what, if any, type of
ventilation options If there aren't any ventilation options provided (such as
skylights or smoke and heat vents) then the pathway must provide a
minimum 96 in. (2438 mm) between array sections. If there are existing roof
skylights or dropout smoke and heat vents are provided on at least one side
of the pathway, then the pathway must only be a minimum of 48 in (1219
mm) wide. A 48 in. pathway is also permitted where there are 48 in. by 96 in.
(1219 mm by 2438 mm) venting cutout options every 20 ft (6096 mm). The
last type of required pathway for venting is where nongravity-operated smoke
and heat vents are provided. For those, a 48 in. (1219 mm) pathway must be
provided around the vent.
It is not uncommon to see PV systems connected to energy storage systems
(ESS). This allows the energy generated from the PV system to be stored and
used later on when it is needed. For more information on ESS take a look here
and at NFPA 855. There are many components to ensuring a PV system is installed
correctly. Here we've focused on the pathway requirements for buildings other than
one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. Other requirements such as marking
requirements and requirements for rapid shutdown can all be found in NFPA 1, The
Fire Code, Section 11.12.

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Important Notice: Any opinion expressed in this column (blog, article) is the opinion of the author and
does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition,
this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or
services.

TOPICS: Building & Life Safety, Industrial Hazards, Fire Protection Systems
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VALERIE ZIAVRAS
Technical Services Engineer, supporting product and
content development throughout the association.

READ MORE BY VALERIE ZIAVRAS

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Courtenay MacLeod 7 months ago

C
is this applicable to flat roofs only and are there different requirements for sloped roofs?
Reply 0 0

Valerie Ziavras 5 months ago

V
It is not explicitly stated that these requirements are for flat roofs only, however there is another section
(11.12.2.2.2 of the 2018 edition of NFPA 1) that deals with requirements for PV systems that are installed on one-
and two-family dwellings and townhouses. The section dealing with buildings other than one- and two- family
dwellings and townhouses (11.12.2.2.2.3 of the 2018 edition of NFPA 1) states that where the AHJ determines
that the roof configuration of a building is similar to a one- and two-family dwelling or townhouse that the roof
access requirements of 11.12.2.2.2 shall be allowed.
Reply 0 0

Tiffany Nguyen 7 months ago

T
Hi Valerie, Thanks for this summary article and diagrams. Do you know if there's any specifications around structural
members?
Reply 0 0

Valerie Ziavras 7 months ago

V
Hi Tiffany, as far as pathways go, there is a requirement that the "other pathways" must be capable of supporting
firefighters accessing the roof (see 11.12.3.3.3 of the 2021 edition of NFPA 1). Section 11.12 contains the
requirements for PV system in both the 2018 and 2021 editions of NFPA 1. If you are looking for requirements for
structural members based on the addition of a PV system, that is outside the scope of NFPA 1. The building code
may be a good place to start for that type of information.
Reply 0 0

Manish 9 months ago

M
DO we need horizontal mid pathway?
Reply 0 0

Valerie Ziavras 9 months ago

V
For buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings there is not a specific requirement in NFPA 1 that there be
a horizontal mid pathway. However, there are requirements for pathways for ventilation options and other pathway
requirements which may result in a pathway that runs horizontally through the middle of the building. Additionally,
the PV array size is limited to 150 ft x 150 ft (46 m x 46 m). You may also want to reach out to your local fire
department to see what your jurisdiction requires.
Reply 0 0

ishfaq ahmad 2 years ago

i
I am very thankful for the great information i recieved in this article. Hope togather we save more lives.
Reply 0 0

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