Mechanical Installer Guide to WE Share

This document is a work in progress and is being co-developed in collaboration with Gulf Solar Limited, who is leading the first five installations under the WE Share pilot program. Their professional on-the-ground experience and operational insight are critical in shaping this working draft. This guide is a live document and will continue to evolve as feedback is received and processes are refined. A final Version 1.0 will be released following the formal debrief between Gulf Solar Limited and WE Share after the completion of the first five installations.

  1. Introduction

Welcome to the WE Share initiative. This guide outlines key expectations, responsibilities, and safety protocols for individuals or teams performing mechanical installation work under the WE Share pilot program.

WE Share is a community-led clean energy initiative. As part of this pilot, installations are structured into two task categories — mechanical and electrical — to improve efficiency, reduce delivery costs, and create workforce entry points for community members.

This document is for mechanical installers: those supporting the physical preparation and placement of equipment but not involved in any live electrical work or regulatory compliance.

  1. What is Mechanical Installation?

Mechanical installation includes tasks that do not require electrical registration, such as:

  • Transporting and positioning equipment on site
  • Mounting solar panels to pre-determined racking structures
  • Installing racking systems onto compliant roof surfaces
  • Running conduit or cable paths with drawwires (without live connection)
  • Site preparation (e.g. ground work, trenching, pad pouring, mounting equipment in situ, carpentry, scaffolding, basic setup requirements)

Mechanical work is to be completed according to site instructions provided by the licensed solar solution provider. All electrical work, including live connections, testing, commissioning, and sign-off, must be performed by a licensed electrician.

  1. Key Responsibilities

Mechanical installers must:

  • Follow job scope and not cross into electrical tasks
  • Work under the direction of the site lead or supervisor
  • Adhere to all health and safety protocols
  • Report site issues or hazards immediately
  • Respect residents and other team members onsite
  • Ensure all tools and equipment are in safe working condition
3A. Mechanical Installation Deliverables & Site Handover Expectations

Mechanical installers are expected to complete and confirm the following deliverables as part of each job. These are listed in the general order they would occur during the mechanical installation timeline:

  • Pick up and/or receive solar equipment delivery and verify packaging and item count upon arrival
  • Report any damaged or missing components to the site supervisor or solution provider immediately
  • Contribute to gear staging by preparing and organizing on-site storage for batteries, inverters, panels, and mounting components
  • Prepare mounting locations, including any necessary groundwork, layout checks, or site-specific pad or trench preparations
  • Install racking systems onto roof or mounting structures, fastened per mounting plan and manufacturer specifications
  • Install conduit or cable paths and draw wire (where applicable), ensuring pathways are prepared for the electrician’s wiring work
  • Securely mount solar panels, ensuring correct clamp use and spacing as per design documentation
  • Perform visual documentation, capturing three photo stages: pre-install, mid-install, and final layout
  • Complete any assigned support tasks, such as backplate mounting or anchoring of gear, that do not involve live electrical work
  • Tidy the site and store tools and materials responsibly at the end of each day or at job completion
  • Submit a completed Mechanical Installation Checklist for each day the mechanical team is on site. This must be presented to the site lead for verification and documentation. A template will be provided by the solution provider or made available via the WE Share shared resource folder

This list forms the baseline output expectations for each mechanical team and may be modified depending on site specifics or additional provider requests. The solution provider is responsible for reviewing and signing off final job completion.

  1. Role Boundaries & Escalation

Mechanical installers may not:

  • Handle wiring, inverter connections, or battery terminals
  • Conduct any live work or testing
  • Sign off on installation work or compliance certificates
  • Deviate from approved scope without site lead approval

If a mechanical installer encounters something outside their assigned task, they must stop and notify the site supervisor.

In case of safety risks or unclear direction, use the WE Share escalation process — available via the site lead or solution provider.

  1. Program Orientation & Support

Mechanical installers will be inducted into the pilot through a brief onboarding covering:

  • WE Share’s program purpose and pilot scope
  • Installation process overview
  • Role-specific expectations and safety standards

All technical details, system specifications, and scheduling are provided by the licensed solar solution provider. WE Share provides overall program coordination but does not manage installation delivery or direct on-site work.

  1. Entry Pathways & Community Participation

This role is intended to serve as an accessible entry point into the clean energy sector, particularly for community members who may not have prior trade qualifications.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Site Safe Passport or equivalent site safety certification
  • Working at Heights Certificate (for any roof-based work)
  • Willingness to follow instructions, work safely, and respect all site protocols

Preferred (but not required):

  • Manual handling or lifting awareness training
  • Basic tool use or experience in construction, scaffolding, or related work
  • First Aid (Level 1)

This is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to real-world solar installation environments, build experience, and potentially pursue further training or employment in the energy or construction sectors.

WE Share welcomes participation from young people, individuals entering the workforce, and others motivated to contribute to a low-carbon, community-led future.

  1. Supporting Electrical Partners Through Practical Resourcing

To help licensed electrical providers integrate mechanical support into their workflow, WE Share suggests the following pathways for collaboration and invites electrical partners to assess the feasibility of these potential support mechanisms:

  • MSD Flexi-Wage Subsidy: Eligible installers may be able to receive partial wage support through MSD for onboarding mechanical assistants, particularly if hiring individuals who are unemployed or new to the workforce
  • Regional Skills Hubs: In partnership with local employment and training hubs, WE Share may facilitate access to ready-trained workers (e.g. with Site Safe, Working at Heights certs) suitable for short-term placement on projects
  • Group Training Partnerships: Where clusters of installations are occurring, WE Share may coordinate shared onboarding or group cert training (e.g. Working at Heights) to reduce per-installer costs
  • Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT): Providers are encouraged to partner with MPTT to support youth and Māori pathways into solar roles
  • Template Resource Packs: Supervision checklists, training registers, and role demarcation sheets may be provided to assist with compliance and consistency when bringing on mechanical workers

WE Share does not directly manage hiring or employment, but recognises the importance of reducing administrative and financial friction so that licensed providers can confidently engage support staff under this split-stream model.

For more details on these potential support mechanisms and funding programmes, see Appendix 1: Reference Pathways for Funding & Institutional Support.

  1. Final Notes

This is a live pilot-phase document. Version 1.0 is considered a Work In Progress and subject to refinement following feedback from Gulf Solar Limited and other stakeholders involved in the first five installations.

WE Share acknowledges the support and collaboration of SEANZ in this pilot. Brendan Winitana, representing SEANZ, has endorsed the development of this process and confirmed their commitment to support the collaborative, safety-aligned, and skills-development focus of the WE Share model.

Thank you for contributing to this community-powered clean energy pilot. Your work supports safer, faster, and more affordable solar adoption across Aotearoa.

Reminder: Mechanical installers operate under strict non-electrical scope boundaries. Always defer to licensed electricians for electrical tasks.

Feedback is welcome and can be submitted through the project coordinator or site lead.

LIST OF APPENDICES

  1. Appendix 1 – Reference Pathways for Funding & Institutional Support
  2. Appendix 2 – Mechanical Installation Checklist
  3. Appendix 3 – Onboarding Acknowledgement Form
  4. Appendix 4 – QA Checklist
  5. Appendix 5 – Document Feedback Submission Form
Appendix 1: Reference Pathways for Funding & Institutional Support

List of potential funding, training, and workforce development programs relevant to mechanical installers.

The following list outlines current and potential sources of support, training, or financial assistance that may help enable the mechanical installer workforce model under the WE Share pilot:

These mechanisms do not constitute guaranteed funding but represent pathways that WE Share suggests for providers to consider during pilot implementation.

Appendix 2: Mechanical Installation Checklist (Section 3A Summary)

☐ Coordinate with site lead and client before proceeding.

☐ Establish and confirm site-specific health and safety requirements.

☐ Pick up all solar equipment from designated location, transport to site (if applicable), and/or receive delivery; verify item count and packaging condition.

☐ Report any damaged/missing items immediately to site supervisor.

☐ Assist with gear staging and on-site storage organization.

☐ Prepare mounting locations, trenches, pads, or required groundwork.

☐ Install racking systems according to design documentation.

☐ Route conduit paths and draw wires (non-live only); confirm conduit positioning and any specific site lead instructions before installation.

☐ Mount solar panels per instructions, ensuring correct clamps and spacing.

☐ Capture visual documentation (pre-install, mid-install, final).

☐ Complete support tasks not requiring electrical expertise (e.g., bracket mounting).

☐ Tidy work area and properly store tools and surplus materials.

☐ Submit a completed Mechanical Installation Checklist for each day the mechanical team is on site to the site lead for verification.

Appendix 3: Onboarding Acknowledgement Form

☐ Confirm required certifications are held (e.g. Site Safe, Working at Heights)

☐ Receive and acknowledge site-specific health and safety briefing

☐ Acknowledge the role scope as described in the Mechanical Installer Guide and agree to adhere to it

☐ Understand the escalation process for site risks or scope issues

☐ Complete onboarding induction with site lead, including confirmation of site-specific conditions

☐ Submit signed onboarding confirmation to site lead before commencing on-site activities

Appendix 4: QA Checklist

Used to verify completion of mechanical tasks before handover to electrical team.

☐ Confirm all health and safety protocols have been observed on site.

  • Safety briefing completed
  • PPE worn throughout (gloves, helmets, harnesses where required)
  • Hazard register reviewed
  • Site Safe and Working at Heights requirements checked

☐ Verify roof penetrations are sealed and torqued to spec (e.g. 11–16 N·m for lag bolts in timber/rafter mounts)

☐ Check all rail attachments and fasteners are torqued to manufacturer specs (standard range: 12.5–18 N·m for M8/M6 bolts)

☐ Confirm module clamps (end/mid) tightened per specification (e.g. 9 N·m)

☐ Inspect grounding lugs and bonding connections — ensure correct torque settings (e.g. 2.3 N·m on set screws)

☐ Verify that at least 10% of all critical fasteners have been torque-marked and spot-checked

☐ Confirm alignment, level, and uniform spacing of rails and mounted modules

☐ Ensure visual documentation (photo log) is complete: pre-install, mid-install, final

☐ Confirm conduit routes are secured and follow approved design — positioning reconfirmed with site lead

☐ Note any rework or punch-list items for immediate rectification

☐ QA completed by: ______ | Date: ______ | Signature: ______

Appendix 5: Document Feedback Submission Form

This form is to be used by field partners, installers, or site leads to submit suggestions, corrections, or additions to this guide. All feedback will be reviewed as part of the ongoing improvement of the WE Share pilot documentation.

☐ Name of submitter:

☐ Organisation or team:

☐ Date of submission:

☐ Section(s) of the document you are commenting on:

☐ Description of the feedback or suggested change:

☐ Reason for suggestion (e.g. clarity, safety, accuracy, efficiency):

☐ Has this issue been observed in the field? □ Yes □ No

☐ Optional: supporting photos or documentation (to be emailed or uploaded)

Please return this form to the project coordinator or upload to the WE Share shared resource folder for review.