Rope Access
Rope access offers flexibility regarding a safe method of working at height where ropes and associated equipment are used to gain access to not-so-simple structures—allowing for less time-consuming and more cost-effective approaches to project completion.
As you can see, there are a ton of applications to which rope access techniques can be applied to and don’t worry if you are unable to see the required work above; please feel free to contact us to see if you can help.
IRATA has three tiers of certified training. This ensures every qualified technician on our team knows how to handle themselves when working at height. Our technicians are certified in all three tiers. The highest level of certification in IRATA is considered to be the Master Technician, and our team has several of these. Each technician is also trained on every piece of equipment we carry so that they can perform any task necessary for your project.
What Is Rope Access?
It is the professional use of ropes for inspections, maintenance, and other types of work. This method is primarily used for speed and safety. Rope Access workers can get to or from difficult locations to carry out their project, resulting in low impact on other surrounding functions, surrounding areas, including the surrounding environment. A more significant benefit is reducing the total hours, saving cost and the level of risk for a particular task (man-at-risk hours) compared with other methods of access and their associated risks and costs.
Another main reason for using rope access methods is to carry out the work efficiently, with minimal costs, accidents, incidents or dangerous occurrences. Also, to ensure a safe work system is maintained at all times whilst avoiding damage to possessions or the environment, precise planning and risk assessments are undertaken for each project.
Where Can Rope Access Be Utilised?
Using Rope Access as an access method opens up many opportunities for scaling projects, speeding up timed projects and decreasing project costs. Rope Access is used from offshore rigs, power & petrol chemical plants, confined spaces, high-rise buildings, etc. If you are stuck with access to your current methods, then this technique could allow you to complete that project.
Fabric Maintenance
One of the best applications for technical rope access is maintenance and fabrication. This service allows us to get where we need to be to complete tasks, such as replacing damaged or worn-out components and fabrications, painting, component inspections and repairs.
Our team of experienced technicians is equipped to handle any maintenance project, big or small. From routine inspections and scheduled maintenance to minor repairs, we have the skills, experience, and equipment required to get the job done right. And with Rope Access, fast.
Dropped Object Surveys
A dropped object survey is a risk assessment tool used to identify hazards that can be a result of workers or visitors causing objects (including materials and equipment) to fall or drop. Some of the principal risks and hazards you may find include: An object falling freely and impacting someone below or being projected against an object which may cause damage and injury; An unsecured object falling over a balcony, platform or edge causing someone below injury or death.
A dropped object survey is a must for any construction project. Whether you expect to find a dropped object, this task must be completed before any work is done in the area. The risk of falling an object, such as a wrench, drill part, or tool piece, can cause significant injuries and delays.
A rope access technician can perform these inspections and maintenance in high altitudes or hazardous areas, often carrying heavy loads over long distances. This shows the absolute importance of conducting dropped object surveys, especially for heavy loads.
Abrasive Blasting
Abrasive blasting with rope access techniques is an effective way of cleaning and revitalising your property. Ropes are used to attach the abrasive material to the surface for blasting to keep the user at a safe distance from any potential areas of danger.
The need for the mechanical removal of materials from structures is constantly increasing as many industrial processes become more aggressive. It has been proven effective for cleaning and preparing surfaces, allowing access to difficult areas with minimal disruption to surrounding plant activities.
Coating Inspections
Our industrial coating inspections are performed with the use of rope access. This allows us to work at heights and hard-to-reach places without using expensive equipment, saving time and money. This gives us a safe working platform and gives you complete peace of mind during the inspection process so that we can give a full inspection report.
Again, one of the main reasons we choose this method is that a work site can sometimes be inaccessible by conventional means. We can move freely, effectively and safely to inspect the structures, either vertically or horizontally. Our goal is to get to where you need us for an inspection, keeping your costs associated with it to a minimum.
Construction Site Work
Rope access is a safe, efficient method for accessing difficult-to-reach places. It is used in construction and other industrial settings to perform tasks without the need for ladders or scaffolding.
Many organizations use rope access to have their personnel work remotely from the ground and avoid hazards such as scaffolding, confined spaces, ladders, and high elevations. Rope access can eliminate the need for dangerous work at heights or between floors. Speeding the process up whilst also offering a cost-saving element.
Decommissioning Projects
Like most benefits of using rope access for a particular project, using rope access for decommissioning projects can help with speed, especially if a project has a timescale target to hit.
Rope access is a method of working at height that involves using pre-connections, anchors, and gear to allow personnel to move freely in any direction around an object. It has been used for many years in the construction industry for tasks such as wall tie-off and handrail use, but it can also be used for decommissioning projects where complex rope work patterns are required within anchor locations.
Using rope access for decommissioning projects can be particularly helpful, especially when older structures require extra care and due diligence due to the area’s blueprint. Rope access can offer better guidance and accessibility to these structures.
Onshore Petrochemical
With an onshore petrochemical site, rope access is a proactive method of inspection, maintenance, and repair where environmental constraints, such as limited access to the work area, often hamper conventional methods. Utilizing rope access or rope access platforms to reach hazardous areas in an onshore petrochemical project can be a safe and cost-effective alternative to scaffolding, rigging, or lift entry. Rope access eliminates the need for hazardous fall protection systems and can facilitate cleaning and inspection tasks on overhead piping systems inside tanks, silos, and associated equipment.
Ships/Shipyards
If you’re looking for a company that can take care of your rope access whilst working on large ships whilst they are in the harbour, then our IRATA rope access technicians can help. We have a wide range of IRATA-trained specialists who are competent and tested to the highest levels.
Harbours are often where large construction projects are undertaken, primarily to support the offshore sector, and rope access can often be seen in use on large ships while in the harbour.
Highrise Buildings & Bridges
Rope access is a fast, efficient, and cost-effective way to gain access to high-rise buildings for maintenance and repair. It offers a greener, super-efficient, and versatile method for maintenance, even cleaning high-rise buildings and supports.
Rope access is a fast, efficient, and cost-effective way to gain access to high-rise buildings for maintenance and repair. It offers a greener, super-efficient, and versatile method for maintenance, even cleaning high-rise buildings and supports.
We have helped with bridge maintenance also; rope access allows us to reach parts of a bridge that wouldn’t usually be accessible without taking the bridge out of commission, which in some scenarios, isn’t realistic to shut a full bridge down, wherewith rope access, we can safely assess, plan, and execute a plan in a timely and efficient manner with these techniques.
Confined Spaces
Rope access provides a safe, efficient, and effective way to get into and out of confined spaces. Our staff within this sector must complete strict and essential safety procedures before entering confined spaces. It allows us to work in confined space environments, onshore and offshore—such as silos, storage tanks, and access shafts—to maintain the equipment they contain.