Rope Access

By Joel Schwarcz

What is Rope Access and why should I care?

Need to inspect the suspender cables on a suspension bridge without closing down traffic? Perform repairs on a dam’s tainter gate? Powerwash the Space Needle? Clean the windows of a skyscraper? Or repair a wind turbine blade? Then you need to access the inaccessible and rope access may be your solution.

By using ropes, a harness, ascenders, and descenders workers can safely gain access and position themselves to work effectively in otherwise difficult to reach areas without the use of scaffolding, swing stages or aerial work platforms. Rope access allows workers to spend more time working and dramatically reduces the time setting up and taking down work platforms. Because of this, rope access reduces workers’ exposure time to fall hazards and allows the work to be completed more efficiently, thus saving time and money. Rope access is utilized across many varying industries including; bridge and dam inspection, petrochemical, tower climbing, wind energy generation, building maintenance, window washing, slope stabilization, rock scaling, utility piping, entertainment rigging, and many more.

Are you interested in learning rope access skills such as ascending and descending on a two-rope system? Passing obstructions in your ropes, such as knots? Using four ropes to traverse across a horizontal plane while suspended mid-air? Navigate a re-anchor? Give one of our sales specialists a call at (206) 780-2898 to learn all about SPRAT certification requirements or Gravitec’s Workplace Rope Access courses.