← BlogSeptember 15, 20235 min readEditorial teamDEUAENRU
For businesses
Solar Park Installation: What Staff Ground-Mounted Plants Need
Ground-mounted solar parks are growing fast. Construction takes many hands, and the tasks differ from rooftop systems. Here is which staff you need and what matters in planning.
Open ground instead of a roof
At solar parks, teams work outdoors on large areas. Typical features are long build times per project, many identical work steps and weather-dependent schedules. Staffing demand is highest in the main construction phase. Background on the market is in the article on the solar boom 2023.
The typical trades
- Surveying and preparation: marking out rows, groundwork.
- Piling: driving posts for the substructure with piling rigs.
- Substructure: assembling the racks.
- Module installation: fixing solar modules in rows.
- DC cabling: laying and connecting string cables.
- Electrical work: inverters, transformer stations, grid connection. This work belongs in the hands of qualified electricians (Elektrofachkräfte).
- Commissioning and testing.
Roles you need to fill
You need construction managers and foremen, machine operators for piling rigs, installers and helpers, and qualified electricians. More on installer tasks in the article on the solar installer.
Occupational safety
Large sites have special requirements: heat and sun in summer, fall and crushing hazards, work with machinery, electrical hazards during cabling. Plan induction, protective equipment and drinking water.
Contract models
For individual trades a Werkvertrag often fits, for example for piling. For installation helpers working under your direction, temporary agency work may fit. Whether these models are permissible depends on the activity and the business. Check the rules for the construction sector and the delimitation in each case. How to link planning and contract is covered in the article on spring staff planning.
Checklist
- Plan trades and construction phases with weekly staffing needs.
- Define qualifications and responsible people.
- Check the contract model for each trade legally.
- Organise accommodation, transport and meals on site.
- Document occupational safety and induction.
Frequently asked questions
What qualification do installation helpers need?
Usually no formal training, but induction, physical fitness and safety awareness. Electrical work is done by qualified electricians.
When is staffing demand highest?
In the main construction phase with piling, substructure and module installation.
Which contract model fits?
It depends on the trade. A Werkvertrag for separable services, temporary agency work for work under your direction, each to be checked legally.
What applies to occupational safety?
Induction, protective equipment, heat protection and electrical safety must be organised on site and documented.
