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Industrial Rope Access Techniques

Your Construction Site Safety is Our Business - St Ives Safety Nets - Instinctively priding ourselves on the high standard of our work and in the way we deliver it.

Industrial Rope Access is a proven method of achieving a safe work position at height or in area of difficult access.  The worker at height accesses the site with ropes, using techniques initially developed in caving and mountaineering to answer the need for a simple, safe and adaptable means of access.  As its value as a work solution grew rope access has developed and can now be found in all manner of works at height. 

All IRATA technicians receive extensive training and dependant assessment and are required to undergo re-training every three years.  This includes rescue procedures.

Through IRATA International-the worldwide association in this sector-rope access companies have delivered:

  • An exemplary safety record based on a commitment to thorough training and diligent operational procedures.
  • A complete service that usually removes the need for the involvement of the majority of other access machinery or work equipment.
  • A minimal environment footprint and the ability to work without disrupting public access or other work nearby.
Your Construction Site Safety is Our Business - St Ives Safety Nets - Instinctively priding ourselves on the high standard of our work and in the way we deliver it.

In certain situations, accessing the work site is tricky, making it necessary to use the Industrial Rope Access Techniques.  This is the case, for example, during the installation of collective protection (lifelines, protective nets, etc), or when overhanging structures or worksites do not allow for mobile platforms or scaffolding to be used.  This is also the case for temporary access situations (worksite inspection, repair work, etc) where it is not practical to set up collective protection.

 

The main features of rope access in operation are:

  • The IRATA rope access worker works from two ropes-a working rope and a back up, safety rope- and is permanently attached to both.
  • Each rope has a separate anchorage point.
  • Ropes are rigged in such a way so that if one should fail, shock load would not be passed on through the system.
  • In the unlikely event of the working rope becoming damaged or unusable, the safety rope prevents a fall.
  • All equipment is regularly inspected and well maintained.
  • All hazard issues will be addressed and the fall factor calculated and kept to a minimum.
  • All IRATA training and operational work is conducted in line with Association Guidelines, these guidelines have been endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive.

Fall factors

“Fall factor” expresses the proportional seriousness of a fall.

It is the relationship between the length of the fall and the rope available to absorb the impact force of the fall.

It is calculated using the following equation:

fall factor = length of the fall / length of the rope or webbing used in the system

Your Construction Site Safety is Our Business - St Ives Safety Nets - Instinctively priding ourselves on the high standard of our work and in the way we deliver it.