IRATA method
Less kit, less disruption
Rope access makes it possible to reach an area at height or with difficult access by moving along ropes from the top of the structure, with no scaffolding or MEWP.
Buildings & urban
Window cleaning, façade repair or inspection with no scaffolding to hire and no road to close. The building stays accessible during the works.
Industry
Access to restricted and congested areas: silos, tanks, stacks, steelwork, undersides of structures. Lifting and handling of loads where cranes and MEWPs cannot reach, while limiting plant downtime.
The principle
Rope access, in plain terms
Rope access, also known as industrial rope work, means reaching the work area by moving along ropes fixed at the top of the structure. The rope access technician descends or ascends to the required spot, takes a stable position, then works hands-free, with tools attached to the harness.
Derived from mountaineering and caving techniques, the method was developed offshore and in industry. It applies just as well to a building façade as to a silo, steelwork or a wind turbine: wherever scaffolding or a MEWP would be cumbersome, disproportionate or impossible to set up.
On site, in four steps
- 01Anchoring
Two ropes are fixed at the top, on solid and independent points.
- 02Access
The technician descends or ascends along the ropes to the work area.
- 03Work
The technician takes a stable position facing the structure and works hands-free, with tools attached.
- 04De-rigging
The ropes are removed: nothing is left in place on the structure.
Safety
Two ropes, always
Rope access follows the IRATA method, the international reference for industrial rope work.
Two independent ropes
Every technician is attached to a working line and a safety line, anchored separately.
Rescue plan
A rescue plan is in place before every job.
Preparation
Risk assessment before the job, an access method suited to the site and inspected equipment.
IRATA Level 3
Level 3 is the highest level of IRATA certification: it covers the supervision of rope access work and rescue.
Applications
What we do on rope
A project or a question?
Contact us for an offer tailored to your needs. Based in Sion, Valais, we travel throughout Switzerland and worldwide.