IRATA - What is it and how does it ensure rope access safety?

Many people assume that rope access is unsafe and that workers are left with little training to do huge jobs. This is completely untrue, and in fact - rope access can be much safer than using scaffolding!

All of our employees are trained by IRATA International, which has been developing industrial rope access techniques for over 25 years. It has over 400 member companies and trains around 100,000 technicians worldwide. Rope access is now used in the offshore oil and gas industry, construction projects, civil engineering, and the built and natural environment thanks to thorough training and strict work guidelines.

Employees have the opportunity to work towards three individual course qualifications: basic operator level, advanced rigging and rescue skills, and team leader and safety supervision.

IRATA Training requirements

Rope access technicians need to be over the age of 18 and have an aptitude for working at height. A total of 4 days are to be spent on each training course, with a further independent assessment day.

The courses

Both the level 1 and level 2 courses are valid for three years - training is a continuous process to keep workers and their customers safe.To access the level 1 standard, technicians need to clock up 12 months of experience and 1,000 logged hours. Level 2 adds first aid training into the mix.

Physical fitness

Of course, working from a height requires a certain amount of physical fitness, which all candidates are tested for during training courses.All of our technicians are fit to work and complete the job efficiently to save you time, money, and hassle.

Attitude

Our rope access technicians are tested for not only their physical capabilities, but their attitude towards the job, too. When undergoing training, workers have to show that they have a respect for heights and are responsible enough to conduct jobs safely and professionally.

Candidates can be removed from training if their attitude isn’t right for the job, so you should always feel reassured that your technicians will work to a high standard and complete the job without any issues arising.

Theory

As well as clocking up 1,000 hours in experience, technicians also have to be fully aware of the theory behind rope access. Every one of our employees is capable of demonstrating various techniques to suit the job at hand and is fully aware of all safety procedures

How to check IRATA verification

For your peace of mind, you can check the certification of each of our technicians online using the ‘Technician Check’ feature on the IRATA website. All IRATA certified technicians are provided with a unique IRATA number when they are first assessed. Simply use this alongside the technician’s surname to check all certifications.

Those who have passed their course(s) are also provided with an IRATA ID card and a certificate for every level they complete. Both of these are available upon request for you to check.