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Industrial Rope Access Trade Association
Technical Information

REFERENCES FOR TECHNICIANS OR TECHNICALLY INTERESTED PERSONS
see also Health & safety section. This information may help towards future assessments or be generally useful

If you require information on Training Courses please contact an IRATA Training Member Company. These are listed on the IRATA Companies page.

Note - IRATA cannot be responsible for written content or conclusions drawn in any particular document

PETZL STATEMENTS ON USE OF SHUNT

Petzl Shunt statement 25 05 09, click here
Petzl Statement 12 May 2009, click here

TESTS ON BACKUP SYSTEMS UNDER RESCUE LOADS TO REPLICATE RISKS ENCOUNTERED DURING ROUTINE TRAINING

Click here for full report. This information is reproduced make it widely available to Petzl Shunt users to show the likely results of extreme tests.

Although not carried out under totally reproducible conditions detailed measurements were taken. IRATA is not responsible for the accuracy of the results and that readers should make their own conclusions

ROPE SURE 5 EXTENDED

This product has been created to provide Employers and Public Liability cover to those individuals working for themselves, either as sole traders or via one man limited companies as well as to companies and partnerships employing up to 5 technicians... click here

NEW TRAINING REGIME

From UK HSE website: First aid at work - new training regime comes into force from 1st October 2009, this includes revised guidance for employers http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/training-guidance.htm
Refer to First aid at work : Your questions answered - INDG 214

EQUIPMENT INSPECTION CHECKLIST

The advice given by the manufacturer should be strictly followed.
Click here

PRESS RELEASE FROM ROPE SURE, AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF IRATA INTERNATIONAL

Rope Sure – Insurance for Rope Access Technician. Click here

BS 7985 :2009 Code of practice for the use of rope access methods for industrial purposes

BS 8437 Code of practice for selection, use and maintenance of personal fall protection systems and equipment for use in the workplace. This is helpful in relation to work positioning and fall arrest, but refers to BS 7985 in relation to rope access.

BS 8454 :2006 Code of practice for the delivery of training and education for work at height and rescue

ANCHOR INFORMATION

BS EN 795 “Protection against falls from a height – Anchor devices – Requirements and testing”

BS 7883 Code of practice for the design, selection, installation, use and maintenance to anchor devices conforming to BSEN 795

Work at height safety association http://www.wahsa.co.uk/content/view/1/2/
TGN 06 Guidance on inspecting eyebolts used for personal fall protection purposes

INDUSTRIAL ROPE ACCESS – INVESTIGATION INTO ITEMS OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Series of tests on Cow's Tails used for progression on semi-static ropes

This report shows tests on lanyards [cow’s tails] comparing sewn terminations with terminations made with a variety of knots. The conclusion is that from the point of view of shock absorption, Cow's Tails made from dynamic rope and knots at both ends achieve the best results and sewn terminations the worst. Click here for report

This confirms the results of tests done for HSE in 2001 by Lyon Equipment.
‘Investigation into items of personal protective equipment’: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_htm/2001/crr01364.htm

Lyon Equipment 2001: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_htm/2001/crr01364.htm
The investigation comprises tests and evaluations of ropes and associated items such as lanyards, cow's tails, termination and other knots, and rope protectors. It proceeds to look at items of equipment which are attached to working and safety ropes to allow movement in all directions along them. These so-called rope adjustment devices include back-up devices, ascenders and descenders. Recommended reading especially for all training companies

Rope Access Equipment Testing: The back-up safety system
http://www.rope-access.co.uk/docs/RA_Testing_Paper.pdf

HSE Leaflet; Inspecting Fall Arrest Equipment made from webbing or rope
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg367.pdf

LOLER Regs- How they apply to rope based access systems for work at height http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/downloads/ropeaccess.pdf  [2007]
Recommended. This is a HSE version of appendix C in IRATA Guidelines

Window cleaning using rope access HSE info sheet MISC 612 [note IRATA disagrees with 3rd paragraph, otherwise sound advice]: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc612.pdf

Rope access in aboriculture [Tree work] A HSE funded report http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/pdf/wahreport.pdf

HSE Tree climbing operations Arboriculture & Forestry advisory group [AFAG] AFAG 401
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag401.pdf contains refs to other tree related docs

HSE LOLER How the regulations apply to arboriculture. Agriculture Information Sheet No 30
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais30.pdf

Work at Height Safety Association http://www.wahsa.co.uk/content/view/1/2/  Formed in by UK manufacturers of height safety equipment. WAHSA issue technical guidance notes on use of work positioning and fall arrest equipment for work at height below:

TGN 01 10 points for the use of fall protection equipment
TGN 02 Guidance on selection, use, maintenance and inspection of retractable fall arresters.
TGN 03 Guidance on inspecting personal fall protection equipment
TGN 04 Guidance on the use of single and twin energy absorbing lanyards.
TGN 05 Guidance on rescue after a fall from height
TGN 06 Guidance on inspecting eyebolts used for personal fall protection purposes
TGN 07 Sources of information relating to work at height
TGN 08 “Requirements for CE marking of anchor devices for protection against falls from height”

Harness suspension: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_htm/2002/crr02451.htm

[UK] Health & Safety Executive [HSE] legislation and documents

The HSE free leaflets give a quick overview of legislation, compared to the full version with guidance in the approved code of practice documents.

HSE Free LeafletsGeneral: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/leaflets.htm.

HSE Free leaflets - Falls from height: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/fallindx.htm

Work at height solutions Work at height solutions is a web site that aims to provide good practice advice for people planning a task that involves work at height. http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/solutions.htm

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended) A brief guide
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg401.pdf

Work at Height Regulations 2005SI 2005/735
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050735.htm

5 Steps to Risk Assessment, INDG 163: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf

A short guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 INDG 174
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg174.pdf

COSHH: A brief guide to the Regulations: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdf

Health and safety regulation - a short guide: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf

Manual handling - A short guide: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 SI 2966 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1992/Uksi_19922966_en_2.htm - mdiv6

Health and safety law - What you should know: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf

HEIGHT SAFE ‘Absolutely essential info for people who work at height’
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/heightsafeleaflet.pdf

LOLER -Simple Guide to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, HSE, INDG290, 01/05: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.pdf

LOLER - ‘Safe use of lifting equipment’ Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L113 HSE Books 1998, ISBN 0 7176 1628 2

PUWER - ‘Safe use of work equipment’. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L22 HSE Books. 1998 ISBN 0 7176 1626 6

PUWER - Simple Guide to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998,
HSE, INDG291, 06/04, C300: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.pdf

A guide for clients on the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 INDG 411: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg411.pdf

Electrical safety and you Free HSE leaflet. INDG231
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg231.pdf

 

Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996SI 1996/1592
The Stationery Office 1996 ISBN 0 11 035904 6

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Approved Code of Practice, L21 HSE Books 1992, ISBN 0 7176 2488 9 (MHSW)

Safe work in confined spaces: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg258.pdf

Permit to Work Systems: INDG 98 (Rev 3) Free copy available at HSE Books online ISBN 0 7176 1331 3, HSE, 1997: http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/techmeaspermit.htm

RIDDOR Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrence regulations
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/riddor.htm

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (as amended), L24 HSE Books
1992, ISBN 0-7176-0413-6

Window cleaning using rope access HSE info sheet MISC 612 [note IRATA disagrees with 3rd paragraph, otherwise sound advice] http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc612.pdf

HSE Leaflet; Inspecting Fall Arrest Equipment made from webbing or rope
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg367.pdf

Issues surrounding the failure of an energy absorbing lanyard
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/sir59.pdf

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