A solar panel walkway is a fixed, anti-slip path through a PV array that lets technicians inspect, clean and repair without stepping on modules or the roof sheet. Choose aluminium for most rooftops, FRP for chemical, severe-coastal or non-conductive needs, and galvanised or ZAM steel for heavy-duty or freight-sensitive projects. Size the loads to the local standard.
Key points
- Five types cover most projects: aluminium anti-slip plank, aluminium checker plate, FRP grating, hot-dip galvanised (HDG) steel grating and ZAM steel plank.
- Match the material to the site’s ISO 9223 corrosivity category (C1 to C5), then to load and budget.
- There is no single walkway load: AS 1657:2018 requires 2.5 kPa or 1.1 kN; EN 516:2006 tests a 1.5 kN point load.
- A walkway is not fall protection; near roof edges, guardrails or other systems are required.
Why solar panel walkways matter
Every commercial or utility-scale array needs regular access for module cleaning, electrical inspection (junction boxes, connectors, strings), structural checks (clamp torque, rail alignment, storm damage) and inverter servicing.
Without a walkway, crews walk on the roof membrane or module frames – both slip hazards – and loads on modules can cause cell micro-cracks. A walkway gives technicians a stable, drained, anti-slip surface between rows, fixed to the racking or roof profile without extra roof penetrations.
A walkway does not stop people falling off the roof. US rules require each walking-working surface to “support the maximum intended load” and to be kept free of hazards such as corrosion, leaks, snow and ice (29 CFR 1910.22); fall protection near edges is a separate requirement, covered below.
The five solar walkway types compared
Five walkway types cover almost every rooftop and ground-mount project; the table compares them on five practical criteria.
| Type | Weight | Corrosion resistance | Load capacity | Surface | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium anti-slip plank | Very light | Excellent in most atmospheres | Medium | Serrated, upturned perforations; drains freely | General commercial rooftops |
| Aluminium checker plate | Light | Excellent in most atmospheres | Medium | Solid five-bar tread; tools cannot fall through | High-traffic or visible roofs |
| FRP grating | Light | Excellent, including acids and alkalis | Medium | Open mesh with grit-coated bars | Chemical, severe-coastal, non-conductive needs |
| HDG steel grating | Heavy | Good in moderate atmospheres | High | Open grid; drains and ventilates | Utility ground-mount, inland industrial roofs |
| ZAM steel roll-formed | Heavy | Better than HDG, especially at cut edges | High | Solid trapezoidal ribs with embossed studs | Coastal, humid and freight-sensitive projects |
1. Aluminium (aluminum) anti-slip plank
A C-channel plank in 5052 aluminium alloy with punched openings whose edges are flared upwards into serrated teeth. It is the lightest option – about one-third the weight of steel – needs no coating in most environments, drains freely and is easy to cut on site.
2. Aluminium checker plate
The same plank form in 5052 aluminium alloy, with a solid, raised five-bar tread. Tools and fixings cannot fall through onto the roof, and the bright finish suits visible commercial rooftops.
3. FRP grating
FRP (fibre-reinforced polymer) grating is moulded from polyester resin reinforced with glass-fibre roving and contains no metal. Bars carry embedded grit, and the colour (safety yellow as standard, grey or green on request) runs through the material. FRP resists acids, alkalis, salts and many industrial gases, and it is non-conductive – useful close to live DC equipment. M-clips fix panels to brackets; C-clips join panels. Load ratings for Solaracks FRP grating come from structural calculation, supplied for the actual span and design load on each project.
4. HDG steel grating
Low-carbon steel formed into an open grid, then hot-dip galvanised. It has the highest load capacity and lowest cost per metre in the range, suiting utility-scale ground-mount and inland industrial roofs. In coastal or polluted atmospheres zinc is lost faster, so ZAM, aluminium or FRP is the better choice.
5. ZAM steel roll-formed plank
Steel coated with zinc-aluminium-magnesium alloy (e.g. Zn-6%Al-3%Mg), roll-formed into trapezoidal ribs with embossed anti-slip studs. ZAM protects cut edges and scratches better than standard galvanising. The ribs of each plank nest into the valleys of the plank below, so more walkway fits in each container. Planks fix to the racking rails with self-drilling screws and EPDM washers.
How to choose by environment
ISO 9223 grades atmospheric corrosivity in six categories, from C1 (very low) to C5 (very high) plus CX (extreme); the table maps the main site types to a walkway material.
| Environment | Typical category | Recommended walkway | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry or temperate inland | C1–C2 | HDG steel or aluminium | Lowest cost |
| Humid or urban inland | C3 | Aluminium | No coating to maintain |
| Coastal or industrial | C4 | ZAM steel or aluminium | Better cut-edge protection than HDG |
| Severe marine or industrial | C5 | Aluminium or FRP | Highest chloride resistance |
| Chemical plant or acid fumes | Site-specific | FRP | Non-metallic; resists acids and alkalis |
| Close to live electrical equipment | Any | FRP | Non-conductive surface |
Fixings matter too: Solaracks uses stainless-steel fasteners on aluminium systems (A2-70/304 below C4; A4, 316 family, in C4 and above), and on galvanised or ZAM steel, grade 8.8 bolts coated to suit the category, with a thermo-diffusion zinc multi-alloy (TDC) coating in C4 and above.
How to choose by site and load
Five site conditions account for most specification decisions; confirm loads in the next section.
| Site condition | Recommended model |
|---|---|
| Standard rooftop, tight weight limits | Aluminium anti-slip plank or checker plate |
| Coastal or high-humidity rooftop | FRP or ZAM steel |
| Utility-scale ground-mount, dry climate | HDG steel grating |
| Coastal utility-scale ground-mount | ZAM steel |
| Heavy industrial, maximum load | HDG or ZAM steel |
When in doubt, specify aluminium; upgrade to FRP or ZAM when the site demands it.
Load ratings: what the standards actually say
Four widely used references set walkway or maintenance-roof loads, and none of them specifies “1.5 kN/m²”: the 1.5 kN in EN 516 is a point load, not a distributed load.
| Reference | What it applies to | Distributed load | Concentrated load |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS 1657:2018, cl. 5.2 (Australia) | Fixed walkways | 2.5 kPa (kN/m²) | 1.1 kN on a 100 × 100 mm pad, whichever is more adverse |
| EN 516:2006 (Europe) | Prefabricated walkways, treads and steps permanently fixed to pitched roofs | – | Vertical point load of at least 1.5 kN at the least favourable position |
| EN 1991-1-1, Table 6.10 (Eurocode) | The roof structure, category H (access for maintenance and repair only) | 0.00–1.0 kN/m², recommended 0.4 | 0.9–1.5 kN, recommended 1.0 |
| ASCE 7, Table 4.3-1 (US) | Ordinary flat, pitched and curved roofs | 20 psf (0.96 kN/m²), reducible to not less than 12 psf | 300 lb (1.33 kN) on roof surfaces used by maintenance workers |
- Design the walkway to the project country’s walkway standard: AS 1657 in Australia; EN 516 for pitched roofs in Europe (Class 2 where the walkway also anchors fall-arrest equipment).
- Check the roof under its loading code (EN 1991-1-1 with National Annex, ASCE 7 or AS/NZS 1170). US model codes do not apply roof live load under panels with 24 in (610 mm) or less clearance.
- Rolling cleaning equipment: use the machine’s actual wheel loads, not a generic figure.
- Span depends on plank profile and design load; confirm it in the project calculation.
Fall protection: OSHA and other jurisdictions
US rules use two height triggers – 4 ft (1.2 m) for general industry and 6 ft (1.8 m) for construction – and different rules for installation and later maintenance.
| Situation | Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Installation (construction) | 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), (b)(10) | Edge 6 ft or more above a lower level: guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest; on low-slope roofs, a warning line combined with one of these or with a safety monitor |
| Maintenance (general industry) | 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1) | Edge 4 ft or more above a lower level: guardrail, safety net or personal fall protection |
| Low-slope roof, less than 6 ft from edge | 1910.28(b)(13)(i) | Guardrail, safety net, travel restraint or personal fall arrest |
| 6 ft to less than 15 ft from edge | 1910.28(b)(13)(ii) | As above, or a designated area for work that is both infrequent and temporary |
| 15 ft or more from edge | 1910.28(b)(13)(iii) | As above or a designated area; none for infrequent, temporary work, but a work rule must bar unprotected entry within 15 ft |
| Guardrails | 1910.29(b); 1926.502(b) | Top edge 42 in ± 3 in; withstand 200 lb (890 N) outward or downward |
| Warning lines | 1910.29(d) | 34–39 in high; at least 6 ft from the edge (infrequent, temporary work) or 15 ft (other work) |
A low-slope roof means a slope of 4 in 12 or less. Part 1926 covers construction, alteration and repair; routine inspection and cleaning fall under Part 1910. Keep walkway routes outside the edge zones where possible, and add guardrails where a route must run near an edge. Solaracks side rails are available as an option; whether they meet the applicable edge-protection rule, including the guardrail load above, must be confirmed for each project.
Other jurisdictions apply their own rules: Australia’s WHS Regulations with AS 1657 (walkways and guardrails) and AS/NZS 1891 (fall-arrest systems), and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in the UK.
Width and slip resistance
Three width bands cover most maintenance needs: 250–450 mm for single-plank access, 600–800 mm for one technician with tools, and 900–1,200 mm for two people passing or for equipment.
- AS 1657:2018 sets a minimum clear width of 600 mm for a walkway without edge protection, and 550 mm between guardrails on both sides.
- EN 516:2006 sets minimum platform widths by walkway type, starting at 250 mm.
For slip resistance, specify a tested class, not surface shape: DIN 51130 rates surfaces R9 to R13 by ramp test, and AS 4586 classifies new pedestrian surface materials. EN 13374 covers temporary edge protection, not slip resistance.
Mounting: non-penetrating installation
On metal roofs, Solaracks walkways are normally installed without drilling the roof sheet, which protects waterproofing and roof warranties and lets the walkway move if the layout changes. Support rails sit across the roof ribs or on the racking; rib or seam clamps grip the profile from the side; planks bolt or clip to the rails, with support spacing matched to the span in the calculation.
All Solaracks walkway models share one accessory system – end clamps, optional side rails, L-feet, and M- and C-clips for FRP – so walkways ordered with Solaracks racking arrive as a coordinated package.
Solaracks solar panel walkway range
Five Solaracks walkway models match its flat-roof, pitched-roof, ground-mount and carport racking:
- Aluminium anti-slip walkway: 3,000 × 350 × 30 mm.
- Aluminium checker plate walkway: 3,000 × 350 × 30 mm, 2.5 mm plate.
- FRP grating walkway: 3,660 × 1,220 × 25 mm sheet, commonly cut to 3,660 × 350 mm; M/C-clip fixing.
- HDG steel grating walkway: 3,000 × 350 × 30 mm, open grid.
- ZAM steel walkway: roll-formed, nesting profile; self-drilling screws with EPDM washers.
Length, width and hole pattern can be customised. For datasheets or a quotation, see the solar panel walkway and accessories range or contact our technical sales team. See also our flat-roof mounting systems and pitched-roof mounting systems.
Related reading: Rooftop solar maintenance walkways: load ratings, fall protection and layout to EN 516, AS 1657 and OSHA
Related project case studies
- Anti-Slip Maintenance Walkway
- Anti-Slip FRP Maintenance Walkway
- FRP Walkway – Cut to the Array
- Fiberglass (FRP) Walkway Installation
Sources
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.22 – Walking-working surfaces, general requirements
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.28 – Duty to have fall protection
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.29 – Fall protection systems criteria
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.501 – Duty to have fall protection (construction)
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.502 – Fall protection systems criteria (construction)
- Standards Australia, AS 1657:2018 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders – Design, construction and installation, cl. 5.1.3 and 5.2
- BSI, BS EN 516:2006 Prefabricated accessories for roofing – Installations for roof access – Walkways, treads and steps
- European Commission JRC, EN 1991-1-1 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures – Part 1-1, Tables 6.9 and 6.10
- ASCE, ASCE/SEI 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, Table 4.3-1
- ISO, ISO 9223:2012 Corrosivity of atmospheres – Classification, determination and estimation
- UK Government, The Work at Height Regulations 2005