In Compliance NFPA 1 Fire Safety Considerations for accessing roofs with photovoltaic systems installed By Valerie Ziavras A mazon made headlines last year when it announced it was shutting down all rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on the company's 28 | NFPA JOURNAL * SPRING 2023 warehouses across North America after a series of fires. While the shutdown is a temporary measure designed to allow Amazon time to determine the root cause of the fires and determine next steps, it also prompts a deeper conversation about the risks associated with photovoltaic systems. Requirements for PV systems first appeared in the 2012 edition of NFPA 1, Fire Code®. Many of the requirements focused on ensuring firefighters were able to disconnect the PV system and still access the roof. While the requirements have evolved over the years, firefighter access and safety remain some of the key components of the roof-mounted photovoltaic system requirements in NFPA 1, and it is important to understand the code's requirements for providing access to rooftops of buildings (other than oneand two-family dwellings) with PV systems installed. Generally speaking, the code requires three types of pathways to ensure firefighters have the access they need to the roof for firefighting operations: perimeter pathways, other pathways, and pathways for smoke ventilation. The perimeter pathways provide firefighters with the ability to actually get on the roof. The required width of the pathway depends on the length and width of the building. If either the length or width is greater than 250 feet (76 meters), then the pathway must be at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide. If the GINA FERAZZI/LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES