Get to know the history and function of rope access

Ramansata
5 min readNov 23, 2021

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image Source: Alltech Industrial Abseilers

In big cities around the or even a small city as well, Today we will see there are a lot of magnificent High rise buildings,
in Australia, there are many high-rise buildings that exceed a dozen meters in height, this makes working at height or high rise building maintenance and cleaning developed and always innovating from year to year.

Building maintenance is very important, to keep building assets of high value and always look attractive, tall buildings require regular interior maintenance, these buildings also need to be treated on the outside or exterior to always look brilliant. This requires building cleaning services in a new way that can access vertical paths in high-rise buildings and is difficult for cleaning services in general.
One of the Skypro Height Safety services Skypro is rope access Specialists, what is rope access, and what are the functions of this service, we will explain it to you.

What is rope access

Is an outdoor working method that was originally used for climbing and caving purposes that allows one to access hard-to-reach locations using various supporting tools. Rope access is commonly used for work related to heights. The purpose of this method is to carry out work efficiently, with a low accident rate.

History of rope access

The history of the establishment of this rope access method is to overcome maintenance challenges in the offshore oil and gas industry. Therefore, IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) was formed in the late 1980s in the UK which was the result of an initiative by a number of leading companies, to provide a safe working environment for an industry.

Read also Top 10 Safety Tips for Working at Heights

How it’s rope access Works

This method can be used for various needs, not only for maintenance, but also for repairs and construction. Various work environments can be efficiently reached by rope access methods such as tall buildings or buildings with complex steel structures such as bridges and transmitting towers.

Advantages of rope access

Image Source: Alltech Coatings

To maintain the cleanliness of the building, this method can minimize the level of work accidents that can arise, besides that this method can be applied for various purposes. Rope access is also very efficient, the equipment system can be installed and dismantled quickly, requires less personnel, but can complete work faster, with less equipment, so as to minimize time, effort, and cost when compared to traditional methods.

Rope access equipment

Working at Height by Skypro Height Safety

Various tools commonly used in rope access activities in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOP) are as follows:

  1. Helmet

serves as a head protector during rope access activities which is made of sturdy material so that it is not easily broken or damaged during an impact. rope, its main function is for security in the event of a work accident, and as a way up and down by workers.

2. Anchor

Anchor or concrete anchor is a tool used to hold a load, prusik rope is inserted into the anchor so that if the worker has an accident, it can still be held with the anchor.

3. Foot loops,

a footrest connected to a hand ascender can be made with a dynamic carmentel rope tied in a bowling knot.

3. Ascender

it allows the technician to ascend the ropes. Working in much the same way as a friction hitch, which slides along the rope whilst unloaded but locks into place when weight is applied. Ascenders are mechanical devices and are much easier to use than a friction hitch, as well as being considerably safer.

4. Descenders
You guessed it! Descenders are used for lowering workers or loads, allowing them to do so at a controlled rate. As with ascenders, they work by leveraging the concept of friction. A descender should also have a self-braking mechanism, which will engage in the event that the operator lets go of the device.

5. Lanyards / Energy Absorbers
Lanyards and energy absorbers are used in conjunction to link a harness to an anchor. It is the most widespread type of fall arrest system used in the industry and is designed to reduce the force on the body in the event of a fall.

6. Harnesses
There are various different types of harnesses available, with the most common being a full-body harness or seat harness. The full-body harness provides a wide range of attachment points and is, therefore, more commonly used in industrial or rescue applications.

7. Ropes
Rope access wouldn’t really be rope access without… ropes. Those used in rope access are designed to be exceedingly strong, whilst also flexible and lightweight. All ropes used must meet the required safety standards set by IRATA.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all necessary equipment. There are connectors, mobile fall arrest devices, pulleys, and more.

In practice, Skypro Height Safety already has a license for access rope services that meet international standards (IRATA), in addition to ensuring the safety of workers, this is also useful for work efficiency. With wholehearted service, we can provide access rope services for building maintenance in the Brisbane Area and its surroundings.

With professional methods and personnel and affordable prices, if you need rope access services, Working at height professional Company in Sunshine Coast, Gold coast, and surrounding areas, don’t hesitate, contact Skypro Height Safety to get the best services.

Recommended working at height company around Brisbane, sunshine coast, Toowoomba, and Brisbane

Design and Installation: Skypro Height Safety

High-Rise Window Cleaning: Alltech Industrial Abseilers

High-Rise Painting: Alltech Coatings

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Ramansata
Ramansata

Written by Ramansata

Digital Marketing, Data Analyst, SEO at Skypro Height Safety, Alltech Abseilers, Alltech Coatings, and Elite Concrete Floors Australia