Sheet T-100 · Jurisdiction

Texas and San Antonio: what changes on a rooftop tray job

The tray parts are the same anywhere. What changes in Texas is the code edition, the design wind speed, the weather that voids warranties, the heat your crew works in, and who's allowed to do which part of the work. The items below were researched on 2026-10-27, and each one says how sure we are. Confirm the ones marked verify with the agency before you rely on them.

Codes in force: City of San Antonio

Source: San Antonio DSD, Codes & Ordinances. Outside the city limits (unincorporated Bexar County or suburban cities such as Schertz, Converse or Live Oak), the AHJ and its code edition are different, so check first.

Permits: San Antonio Development Services (DSD)

• Rooftop supports add dead load and wind exposure to the building, so expect DSD to treat new rooftop tray, equipment supports and any roof penetration as commercial building (alteration) work needing a permit, possibly with structural review. Verify the scope with DSD before you bid the schedule.
• The hood entry (MT-365G) is a roof penetration. Make sure the curb, flashing and any firestopping are in the permit drawings.
• If the tray serves a new wireless facility, zoning review under San Antonio's Unified Development Code may apply on top of the building permit. Verify with DSD zoning.
• If the crane or hoist sits in the street or sidewalk, you also need a right-of-way or street-use permit from the City (Public Works).

Historic districts and landmarks

San Antonio has many locally designated historic districts and landmarks, concentrated downtown and in the older neighborhoods. Exterior changes there go to the Office of Historic Preservation and, for larger items, the Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC) for a Certificate of Appropriateness. The HDRC does review rooftop additions. A tray, step-over or hood entry visible from the street may need review, screening or a lower profile. Check the property's designation before you design the route. sa.gov/OHP

Design wind speed and uplift

• Get the site's basic wind speed from the ASCE Hazard Tool (asce7hazardtool.online) using the exact coordinates and the building's risk category. Most commercial buildings are Category II, while hospitals, emergency facilities and some telecom are III or IV with higher speeds.
• For planning only: third-party references put Bexar County at roughly 105–115 mph (ASCE 7-22, Risk Category II, 3-second gust). Those sources aren't official and don't agree with each other. Don't design from that range. Use the Hazard Tool value from your engineer.
• Rooftop components are designed for higher pressures at roof corners and edges than in the field of the roof. Keep the tray route out of corner and edge zones where you can, and tell the engineer exactly where it runs.
• Because no ANDREW part has a published wind rating, ask ANDREW for one in writing. The engineer then confirms that self-weight is enough, or specifies ballast or attachment for uplift and sliding.
• Not a TDI windstorm area. The Texas Department of Insurance windstorm inspection program covers the designated coastal counties. Bexar County isn't one of them, so no TDI windstorm certificate is needed. Confirm this if the job is near the coast.

Lightning and grounding

• Spring and fall thunderstorms are routine in south-central Texas, and a rooftop tray is exposed metal that sits on insulating sleepers. Bond it as a complete system: jumpers at every joint, both ends to the roof ground, and coax kits at the antenna end and at the entry. See grounding & bonding.
• San Antonio enforces the 2023 NEC, including the 392.60(A) tray-continuity rule. The bond to the building's grounding electrode system is electrical work.

Hail

• Central and South Texas get frequent, damaging hail. San Antonio's April 2016 hailstorm was among the costliest in Texas history.
• Hail damage isn't a warranty claim. ANDREW's warranty excludes severe weather and acts of nature (§8(e)). Make sure builder's-risk coverage is in place during construction and that the owner knows to add the tray to their property schedule at turnover.
• Inspect covers, hold-downs and the membrane under the sleepers after every hail or high-wind event. A dented cover can hold water, and a shifted sleeper can cut the membrane.

Heat: crew safety and materials

• Roof surfaces in a San Antonio summer get far hotter than the air. Dark membranes and bare steel can burn skin. Schedule lifts and heavy handling for the early morning and give the crew gloves for handling sun-heated galvanized parts.
• OSHA: Texas has no OSHA-approved state plan for private employers, so federal OSHA applies. There's no final federal heat standard, but OSHA enforces heat hazards through the General Duty Clause and its heat National Emphasis Program. Run a written heat-illness program covering water, rest, shade and acclimatization.
• Local water-break rules: Texas HB 2127 (2023) preempts city ordinances such as the Austin and Dallas construction water-break rules. A state district court ruled it unconstitutional in August 2023 and the State appealed. Verify the current status, and run your program regardless.
• Materials: rubber and PVC pads spend years in UV and heat. Check the roof manufacturer's approval covers long-term exposure and plan to replace pads during the roof's service life.

Fall protection (OSHA)

• Construction work (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M): workers on a roof with unprotected sides or edges 6 ft or more above a lower level need guardrails, a personal fall arrest system or a safety net (1926.501(b)(1)). Skylights and roof openings need covers or guarding (1926.501(b)(4)).
• Warning-line systems and safety monitors are allowed for roofing work on low-slope roofs (1926.501(b)(10)). Installing a cable tray isn't roofing work, so don't assume they're enough. Have your safety lead decide.
• After turnover, routine inspection and maintenance on the roof fall under general industry rules (29 CFR 1910.28).

Who can do the work (Texas licensing)

• Low-voltage and communications cabling: the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act exempts communications circuits, optical fiber and Class 2/3 power-limited circuits from electrician licensing (Tex. Occ. Code §1305.003). TDLR notes a municipality may still regulate it (§1305.201). Verify that San Antonio doesn't.
• Power circuits (e.g. AC or DC power feeding rooftop radios beyond the power-limited classes) need a TDLR-licensed electrician and the City electrical permit.
• Roofing: Texas has no state roofing license. What protects the roof warranty is that the manufacturer-authorized roofing contractor of record makes or inspects the penetrations.

Cranes near airports

San Antonio has San Antonio International (SAT), Stinson Municipal and the Joint Base San Antonio airfields (Kelly Field, Randolph). Under 14 CFR Part 77, a crane that exceeds the FAA's notice criteria near an airport needs an FAA Form 7460-1 filed in advance. Use the FAA's "Notice Criteria Tool" on the OE/AAA website when you plan the lift, and allow time: FAA determinations can take weeks.

Scheduling for South Texas weather

• Spring (Mar–Jun): the peak season for severe storms, hail and flash flooding. Keep tarps and tie-downs for staged material, and don't leave covers unsecured overnight.
• Summer (Jun–Sep): extreme heat. Use early starts and shorter roof shifts.
• Hurricane remnants (Aug–Oct): inland bands bring heavy rain and wind. Secure the roof before each weekend.

San Antonio quick sheet