Risk Management Requirements for Rope Access Planning and Use

Local Legislative requirements

Attention when operating, should be drawn to local legislation and laws that may differ and redefine aspects of the company and operational policy and procedure.

Review and understanding of local legislation and its requirements shall be conducted during work planning.

All efforts shall be made to comply with the local legislation, when there is any conflict in legislation and standards then the strictest shall always take precedence.

Assessment for rope access

All hazards and their influence on operations, people and safety should be considered.

These should be considered when determining whether rope access and its requirements are an

appropriate method of work.

guidance from industry best practices, codes of practices, legislation and laws will direct on all available controls and techniques. If they are deemed unsafe or inappropriate, rope access shall not be used until changes have been made, risk-assessed and controlled to an acceptable method.

This is difficult sometimes as we are making choices that lead us to being without work. However, the best control of risk is elimination, so eliminating rope access can be an effective control for some highly hazardous situations.

Personnel Requirements

IRATA and SPRAT require that a rope access team consists of at least two rope access technicians. If any potential risks and/or rescue is not deemed to be simple, a team of three rope access technicians should be regarded as the normal minimum team size.

Many situations require more than a two-person team, for example, the nature of the work; site conditions; competency of the work team; and potential rescue scenarios. These are understood after a risk assessment and will lead to the minimum crew number being decided on and implemented.

Supervision

One member of the work team must be qualified as a Safety Supervisor and be competent to supervise rope access safety

Where multiple work locations, potentially on the same site or within the same geographic area found, adequate supervision should be provided for each location.

For work at a singular location, It may be appropriate to employ more than one rope access safety supervisor, based on the circumstances. Examples are:

• The number of rope access technicians working on the site
• complex work situations
• environmental conditions
• ability to perform prompt rescue
• rescue plan requirements

Communication

An effective communication plan shall be established before beginning work and shall remain effective for the entire time that work is taking place.

The communications system should provide, at minimum the following:

• Contact between the Rope Access Supervisor and all team members
• The system is relevant to the worksite and conditions, taking into account issues such as noise, interference, other work teams and weather
• The system is linked, where necessary, to other people outside the team such as emergency crews and a worksite controller
• The system is clearly understood and usable by all team members.

Work Task Requirements

Planning will include the selection of appropriate working methods and equipment. These are to be selected with an understanding of how rope access systems, equipment and access requirements will interact with the methods chosen. The potential for hazards to be created due to the interaction of these is more than likely and this must be addressed in planning.

Method statements are an effective way of producing an action plan for a safe system of work and the interaction of all components. They are useful in bringing together the assessments of the various hazards that may arise on a job.

Site and Permit Requirements

Some environments may need extra assessment and control based on hazards present or that develop outside those affecting the rope access safe system of work.

Examples of special permits include:

• Confined Space
• Hot Works
• Live Electrical
• Working above water
• Radio or Radiation

Special permits shall be determined by the work being done and the hazards present. This is to be assessed at planning or expressed as a requirement by the site or job-controlling company. The permits should assist in ensuring that all the necessary safety arrangements have been implemented before the commencement of any works, e.g. Isolations and Shutdowns.

Site Survey

For new worksite or work location, a pre-work site survey should be conducted to help determine:

• The nature of the work environment.
• Feasibility of the means of access.
• Any foreseeable hazards to rope access technicians and others.

The operations crew must conduct a site survey when reviewing job documentation to assist in understanding, identify alterations and discrepancies and then add or amend the documents to reflect the findings.

Equipment Requirements

The equipment selected shall be fit for use and for the intended task, as defined by the Manufacturer.

Use of the equipment is further directed by the standards to which it has been tested as well as by Policies, Procedures, industry best practices, codes of practices, local legislation and laws.

There shall be sufficient equipment that is appropriate for the operation and methods of work that are taking place.

All equipment will be compatible and work together to ensure a safe system of work.

The minimum amount of equipment to ensure a safe system of work shall be available without impediment at the worksite.

On-Site Documentation

All relevant documentation will be kept or made immediately digitally available at the worksite, for all personnel to reference during the duration of work.

Documentation to be included:

• Insurance certificate
• Local legislation and laws
• Crew certifications and logbooks
• Rope Access Operational Policy
• Equipment user documents
• Equipment inspection log
• Risk Assessment
• Method Statements
• Rigging Plans
• Emergency Response Plans
• Rescue Plans
• Incident forms
• Proof of equipment tracking/inspection
• Anchor Inspections
• Any other client-specific requirements
• Site-specific safety documents
• Permits to work

This Documentation shall also be produced upon request of any Presiding authority.

Rope access is used in many variations, locations and applications. While there are many ways to control hazards and conduct work, specific requirements for a team relevant to the location, work method and many other factors must be communicated and reviewed in that specific day/moment/location.

Pre Work Meeting/Briefings

At the start of each day, and at other times as determined by changing site conditions, the work team should review the methods of work and associated hazards, controls and risks. A documented review of the Work Plan by rope access technicians shall be conducted and amendments and updates can be made.

The Work Plan should be reviewed by any person affected by the rope access work whether or not they are a rope access technician. These Affected persons should be able to make additions on-site at any time.

Pre Work Equipment Checks

Before work commencing, all personal protective equipment must be inspected by the end user.

The Rope Access Supervisor should ensure that technicians follow suitable inspection procedures.

Tools and equipment that have the potential to cause foreseeable harm, shall be inspected and checked for correct function before use.

At the beginning of each working day and at other times as appropriate e.g. while the equipment is being relocated during the day, the Rope Access Supervisor should visually check all anchors and anchor lines.

Technicians should be competent in the pre-use inspection of their equipment, including an understanding of when equipment should be withdrawn from service.

If equipment in use is affected by factors outside of normal use; an inspection must be completed to determine if it is safe to be returned into service.

Exclusion Zones

The area of work shall be understood as to plan the set-up of exclusion zones.

There are many purposes for setting up exclusion zones, not only the protection from falling from height or dropping objects on third parties.

Exclusion zones may be necessary at several levels, e.g. above anchor level, at anchor level, at intermediate levels and at ground level.

SPRAT and IRATA label their exclusion zones differently but they achieve the same purpose in operation.

Only members of the rope access team should be allowed in the anchor area exclusion zone, unless under close supervision.

No one shall enter the working edge hazard/fall zone without appropriate fall protection ensuring safe access to ropes

A bottom level/Intermediate level/hazard zone should be marked or blockaded to warn rope access technicians and others, including the public, of hazards associated with the work being performed.

Exclusion zones should:

• Be clearly marked or defined;
• Be a physical barrier whenever necessary;
• Aided by providing warning signs or posting suitable notices;
• Be enforced where necessary by a sentry, alarms or other means.

Accessways, passageways or doors leading into the zone should be suitably controlled.

Buddy Checks

Buddy checking by team members is good practice and should be continued throughout the day, including:

• After systems have been rigged
• After the rope access technician has put on his/her harness and assembled his/her equipment
• when the rope access technician has attached to the anchor lines
• at all times when the rope access technician is engaged in rope access manoeuvres.