Currency
May 05, 2022
Why Rope Access? Today, more than ever, operational costs of companies in industries such as; (petro) chemical, oil and gas, power and energy, nuclear, civil or construction are more scrutinised than at any time in the past 10 years.
As a result of either, the economic down turn or fluctuating oil prices, all budgets, let alone preventative maintenance budgets are frequently being reduced or delayed entirely. The impact of course of delaying preventative maintenance is that it ceases to become preventative, and unavoidably escalates eventually into full scale reactionary maintenance at inevitably higher costs. The epitome therefore of a false economy is the postponement of preventative maintenance because of budget.
Often the largest part of a maintenance budget will be apportioned to how to access the areas in question for maintenance to commence. Traditionally scaffolding would have been a time consuming and extremely costly way to start any job, with excessive outlay in time and money before the maintenance has even started. This is where Rope Access can make a difference. Rope Access, if carried out correctly and in accordance with recognized Health and Safety standards, will provide companies with a quick (minimal mobilization and demobilization time), efficient and even more importantly cost effective solution that will minimize a company’s operational downtime and get the job done.
Obvious advantages and benefits will of course include;
• Rapid set-up and dismantling, far outweighing that of conventional scaffolding
• Cost effective compared with traditional access methods
• Save Time as well as money
• Minimal disruption to building occupants, pedestrians and traffic flow.
• No security risk on site with all equipment removed overnight
• No structure that might allow criminal use or vandalism.
Rope Access as we know it today started in the early to mid 1980’s using a system developed earlier by rock climbers and cavers. The system was and still is extremely safe and reliable; however, traditionally it was largely based on a single rope strategy. To make it appropriate for work at a height and acceptable to industry in general, safety standards were reviewed and the original system was further developed to include a second security rope, so the system now had two levels security.
In 1987, six companies started the world’s first rope access trade association, which was subsequently named, the UK’s Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA). The UK’s Government health and safety authority, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), were fully involved from the outset in this initiative and were a prime mover in ensuring that rope access as a system would be governed by the strictest of safety standards.
Each individual IRATA member is regularly and routinely audited by an independent third party auditor to ensure adherence to procedure and to allow continued qualification. In addition to individual compliance, every IRATA member company is obliged to work in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Guidelines for safe working. As a result IRATA Rope Access companies hold an exemplary safety record, as a direct result of their rigorous adherence to various safety characteristics. Staggeringly they collectively register in excess of 6 Million worked hours a year with no reporting of any major or fatal accidents since inception.
As of 2010 IRATA currently recognises only 250 certified members worldwide and only 7 of them are registered in the Middle East.
IRATA teams provide technicians with qualifications to abseil, thus providing safe means of access, however there are many disciplines needed in the range of technicians in a rope access company to fulfill the myriad of skills required once access is achieved. Technicians need to major in skills that enable to work in the following areas.
Inspection/Testing of Structures Structural Surveys Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Various Maintenance and Repair, including Localised Concrete Repair Sealant Installation and Re-instatement Secondary Fixings Replacement Cladding and Glazing Cleaning and Painting Jet spray, grit blasting and three-tool method Spray Painting Roller/brush Painting Full surface Preparation Facilities Management Building Services General Window Cleaning Glazing Inspection Replacement and Repair Services Repair Fitting and Maintenance Pest Control Façade Survey, Coating, inspection and maintenance Banner and Sign Erection Geotechnical/Civil Engineering Permanent Rock Anchorage Soil Nailing Sprayed Concrete Rock fall Prevention Meshing Pressure Pointing
With such a diverse range of areas, it is mandatory to plan, organize and manage any work as such so there will be a more than adequate margin towards safety to diminish any risks to personnel, third parties, equipment and/or property. To this end, it is fundamental that appropriate risk assessments, method statements and health and safety plans are in place before any work takes place:
• Appropriate access methods are chosen to carry out the work;
• Personnel have a suitable attitude/aptitude for the required scope;
• Personnel are trained and qualified as per applicable legislation;
• Competent and adequate Management and supervision is in place;
• Appropriate PPE is available and used;
• Tools and equipment are fit for use and purpose.
To select the appropriate access method, professional risk assessment procedures are utilized to identify the hazards and to assess the risks associated with the company activities. This is in order to eliminate or at least reduce the potential effect of the hazards to an acceptable level. Hazard identification and risk assessment is a requirement and an integral part of the safe working practices. Briefly, assessment procedures require at least 3 stages of hazard identification and risk assessment to be conducted:
Stage 1: Risk Assessment normally takes place at the office with technical, operational, safety and customer representatives. The specific activities of the scope of work will be assessed with a view to specifying controls and safety measures necessary to reduce all foreseeable risks to an acceptable level as part of the client’s (project) SHE plan.
Stage 2: Risk Assessment normally takes place at the worksite and reviews, updates may add to the stage 1 risk assessment: Job-Specific Safe Job Analyze Procedure (RW-SJA-01). The stage 2 risk assessment benefits from first hand knowledge of the current state of the worksite, team input, concurrent activities etc. Stage 2 is the appropriate stage to introduce and discuss rescue and casualty recovery issues specific to the worksite. This stage of the risk assessment is formally documented and sent to Eindhoven base on completion.
Stage 3: Risk assessment takes the form of Tool Box Meetings: pre-shift briefings during which hazards are reviewed, control measures are confirmed and all concerns are addressed before proceeding to work. Stage 3 risk assessments may take place every shift and only new hazards or controls need to be added to the stage 2 record.
Given the perceived potential risks involved in the use of the Rope Access, special procedures have been designed for the recruitment of the personnel that would be engaged in rope access. It is vital to ensure that personnel have the right aptitude and or attitude required for this challenging and specialist work. Therefore special demands have been outlined that are adhered to at all times.
To assure medical fitness, people must be examined for physical competence. New personnel will have to meet the minimum requirements that have been outlined. Newly certified personnel will never work alone or added to teams that already have trainees within the team. For each project it must decided whether there is sufficient experience available within the team and whether or not the level 1 represents any danger to himself and/or others.
To ensure understanding of the principles and procedures of operations, level 1 trainee will be required to work through an induction period. To ensure improvement in the trainee’s ability during this period, he will be supervised at all times by experienced Rope Access Technicians under the “buddy system” and restricted to guard duties, general assistance or easier rope work until the supervisor judges them competent to undertake more extensive duties.
An inexperienced team member should not be appointed as the sole stand-by man if, in this role, he may be required to implement a recovery system with which he is not fully conversant. On a three-man team this permits a maximum of one trainee. Experienced technicians have successfully completed an induction period at Level 1, or have obtained Level 2 training course and are considered competent in all rope access situations e.g. Capable of rigging ropes and recovery systems, work site organization, and appropriate legislation.
Rope access supervisors must have extensive and varied field experience and can be considered competent to look after other team members.
As a result of either, the economic down turn or fluctuating oil prices, all budgets, let alone preventative maintenance budgets are frequently being reduced or delayed entirely. The impact of course of delaying preventative maintenance is that it ceases to become preventative, and unavoidably escalates eventually into full scale reactionary maintenance at inevitably higher costs. The epitome therefore of a false economy is the postponement of preventative maintenance because of budget.
Often the largest part of a maintenance budget will be apportioned to how to access the areas in question for maintenance to commence. Traditionally scaffolding would have been a time consuming and extremely costly way to start any job, with excessive outlay in time and money before the maintenance has even started. This is where Rope Access can make a difference. Rope Access, if carried out correctly and in accordance with recognized Health and Safety standards, will provide companies with a quick (minimal mobilization and demobilization time), efficient and even more importantly cost effective solution that will minimize a company’s operational downtime and get the job done.
Obvious advantages and benefits will of course include;
• Rapid set-up and dismantling, far outweighing that of conventional scaffolding
• Cost effective compared with traditional access methods
• Save Time as well as money
• Minimal disruption to building occupants, pedestrians and traffic flow.
• No security risk on site with all equipment removed overnight
• No structure that might allow criminal use or vandalism.
IRATA & the History of the Industry
Rope Access as we know it today started in the early to mid 1980’s using a system developed earlier by rock climbers and cavers. The system was and still is extremely safe and reliable; however, traditionally it was largely based on a single rope strategy. To make it appropriate for work at a height and acceptable to industry in general, safety standards were reviewed and the original system was further developed to include a second security rope, so the system now had two levels security.
In 1987, six companies started the world’s first rope access trade association, which was subsequently named, the UK’s Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA). The UK’s Government health and safety authority, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), were fully involved from the outset in this initiative and were a prime mover in ensuring that rope access as a system would be governed by the strictest of safety standards.
Each individual IRATA member is regularly and routinely audited by an independent third party auditor to ensure adherence to procedure and to allow continued qualification. In addition to individual compliance, every IRATA member company is obliged to work in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Guidelines for safe working. As a result IRATA Rope Access companies hold an exemplary safety record, as a direct result of their rigorous adherence to various safety characteristics. Staggeringly they collectively register in excess of 6 Million worked hours a year with no reporting of any major or fatal accidents since inception.
As of 2010 IRATA currently recognises only 250 certified members worldwide and only 7 of them are registered in the Middle East.
A Wide Range of Disciplines
IRATA teams provide technicians with qualifications to abseil, thus providing safe means of access, however there are many disciplines needed in the range of technicians in a rope access company to fulfill the myriad of skills required once access is achieved. Technicians need to major in skills that enable to work in the following areas.
Inspection/Testing of Structures Structural Surveys Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Various Maintenance and Repair, including Localised Concrete Repair Sealant Installation and Re-instatement Secondary Fixings Replacement Cladding and Glazing Cleaning and Painting Jet spray, grit blasting and three-tool method Spray Painting Roller/brush Painting Full surface Preparation Facilities Management Building Services General Window Cleaning Glazing Inspection Replacement and Repair Services Repair Fitting and Maintenance Pest Control Façade Survey, Coating, inspection and maintenance Banner and Sign Erection Geotechnical/Civil Engineering Permanent Rock Anchorage Soil Nailing Sprayed Concrete Rock fall Prevention Meshing Pressure Pointing
Planning for Safety
With such a diverse range of areas, it is mandatory to plan, organize and manage any work as such so there will be a more than adequate margin towards safety to diminish any risks to personnel, third parties, equipment and/or property. To this end, it is fundamental that appropriate risk assessments, method statements and health and safety plans are in place before any work takes place:
• Appropriate access methods are chosen to carry out the work;
• Personnel have a suitable attitude/aptitude for the required scope;
• Personnel are trained and qualified as per applicable legislation;
• Competent and adequate Management and supervision is in place;
• Appropriate PPE is available and used;
• Tools and equipment are fit for use and purpose.
To select the appropriate access method, professional risk assessment procedures are utilized to identify the hazards and to assess the risks associated with the company activities. This is in order to eliminate or at least reduce the potential effect of the hazards to an acceptable level. Hazard identification and risk assessment is a requirement and an integral part of the safe working practices. Briefly, assessment procedures require at least 3 stages of hazard identification and risk assessment to be conducted:
Stage 1: Risk Assessment normally takes place at the office with technical, operational, safety and customer representatives. The specific activities of the scope of work will be assessed with a view to specifying controls and safety measures necessary to reduce all foreseeable risks to an acceptable level as part of the client’s (project) SHE plan.
Stage 2: Risk Assessment normally takes place at the worksite and reviews, updates may add to the stage 1 risk assessment: Job-Specific Safe Job Analyze Procedure (RW-SJA-01). The stage 2 risk assessment benefits from first hand knowledge of the current state of the worksite, team input, concurrent activities etc. Stage 2 is the appropriate stage to introduce and discuss rescue and casualty recovery issues specific to the worksite. This stage of the risk assessment is formally documented and sent to Eindhoven base on completion.
Stage 3: Risk assessment takes the form of Tool Box Meetings: pre-shift briefings during which hazards are reviewed, control measures are confirmed and all concerns are addressed before proceeding to work. Stage 3 risk assessments may take place every shift and only new hazards or controls need to be added to the stage 2 record.
Given the perceived potential risks involved in the use of the Rope Access, special procedures have been designed for the recruitment of the personnel that would be engaged in rope access. It is vital to ensure that personnel have the right aptitude and or attitude required for this challenging and specialist work. Therefore special demands have been outlined that are adhered to at all times.
To assure medical fitness, people must be examined for physical competence. New personnel will have to meet the minimum requirements that have been outlined. Newly certified personnel will never work alone or added to teams that already have trainees within the team. For each project it must decided whether there is sufficient experience available within the team and whether or not the level 1 represents any danger to himself and/or others.
To ensure understanding of the principles and procedures of operations, level 1 trainee will be required to work through an induction period. To ensure improvement in the trainee’s ability during this period, he will be supervised at all times by experienced Rope Access Technicians under the “buddy system” and restricted to guard duties, general assistance or easier rope work until the supervisor judges them competent to undertake more extensive duties.
An inexperienced team member should not be appointed as the sole stand-by man if, in this role, he may be required to implement a recovery system with which he is not fully conversant. On a three-man team this permits a maximum of one trainee. Experienced technicians have successfully completed an induction period at Level 1, or have obtained Level 2 training course and are considered competent in all rope access situations e.g. Capable of rigging ropes and recovery systems, work site organization, and appropriate legislation.
Rope access supervisors must have extensive and varied field experience and can be considered competent to look after other team members.
SOURCE:
https://www.hsmemagazine.com/article/working-at-height/
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