Solar panel users should be trained: Police

Dubai - Companies should ensure that their workers have sufficient experience in installing the panels.

The Dubai Police have warned firms that instal and operate solar panels for power generation to familiarise their customers about the proper way of maintenance.
The companies should ensure that their workers have sufficient experience in installing the panels and they should make the customers aware about the risks that may result from poor use of the system and they should not try to do maintenance of the systems without adequate training, said a senior officer.
Maj-Gen Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, assistant commander-in-chief of the Dubai Police for criminal investigation affairs, said that all those who have installed solar power systems should be careful not to underestimate the power generated by them. He also called on the companies specialised in installing them to put precautions for their users, adding that the companies should take care of periodic maintenance of the panels, wires and devices to ensure that the system doesn't turn harmful to its users.
Colonel Ahmed Humaid Al Marri, director of crime scene management at the Dubai Police Criminal Evidence Department, said: "It is regrettable to find that some companies sell this technology to individuals without training them on how to use or deal with it. Customers should be made aware of the risks that may result from poor operation," he said, pointing to the first incident of death from the solar panels which was recorded by the Dubai Police recently.
"In the incident, a man in his 40s was electrocuted from the solar panel installed on his caravan."
Col Al Marri said the man contacted a company to instal solar panels for cooling systems in his caravan. The company installed two panels to generate solar energy on top of the caravan. However, the installation contract did not include the training of the beneficiary or put any warnings on the use.
Details of the incident
Col Al Marri said that on May 16, the Jebel Ali Police received an information that a person was lying at the entrance of a mobile caravan. The police arrived at the scene and found out that the man was already dead. The man's hand was in contact with the storage area of ??the solar batteries.
The investigation team found that the deceased was trying to solve a problem occurred in the connections without paying attention to the need to disconnect the power capacitor. The report of the forensic doctor with the Dubai Police confirmed that the death was caused by electric shock, which led to a heart failure.
Underwater crime scene
Meanwhile, Colonel Al Marri revealed that the crime scene management section is on the verge of a new stage, pointing to the introduction of new equipment, tools and techniques in the department to inspect the underwater crime scenes.
He pointed out that there are 20 officers from several departments of the Dubai Police, trained by American experts in dealing with underwater crime scenes.
Recently, 12 divers were asked to find a weapon, which was thrown to the Dubai Creek after using for a crime, and the officers were given three areas to search. They succeeded in recovering the weapon.
Col Al Marri said crime scene teams have received 582 reports since the beginning of the year. The department includes 160 experts and expert assistants, including three women, who are doing great efforts to inspect and collect evidence.
amira@khaleejtimes.com

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