Rope Descent Systems – Advanced
(Window Cleaning / Building Envelope)

Gravitec’s Rope Descent Systems is an intensive five-day (40 hour) program intended for supervisors and safety professionals that work on the roofs of tall buildings and descend over the side to conduct work. Any scope of work (architects, surveyors, glazers, inspectors, window cleaners) that must exit the roof and descend the side of buildings would benefit from the course content. The course has a heavy emphasis on descent control devices and rope descent systems. Students begin using rope descent systems on day one and throughout the balance of the course. This course is conducted in conjunction with the basic program. This program goes on from the basic program to include roof assessments, development of work plans and plans of service as well as assisted rescue options while a worker is on a rope descent system.

The program is structured to focus on fall protection in three different zones typical to building envelope work. Fall protection equipment, common practices and minimum regulatory requirements for the safe zone, danger zone and drop zones are covered in this program. Students are given a fundamental education on full body harness and seat board options and the use of the descent control devices with applicable fall arrestor systems (ropes and rope grabs). This program uses traditional seat board and rope grab set-ups as well as interchangeable rope access set-ups to reach the work areas.  After students have conducted basic restraint, edge negotiation and descent control exercises, the course continues with self-rescue methods, pre-rigged rescue methods and assisted rescue methods for rope descent systems on flat roofs. At the conclusion of this course students will be able to use both rope access harness systems as well as seat board systems to safely navigate the roof, negotiate the edge, descend to the work and rescue a worker on the end of the rope descent system. The scope of this course is limited to the use of fall protection, rope descent and rope access equipment and does not include training on the work (window cleaning, inspecting, glazing, etc.) or the erection of supported or suspended scaffolds.

This course meets the ANSI/IWCA  14.1 standard requirements for rope descent and fall arrest systems as well as ANSI/ASSE Z359.2 training requirements of an authorized person and authorized rescuer. Gravitec Systems Inc. training programs are accredited through IACET and structured according to ANSI/ASSE Z490.1 – Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training.