Q. Can a candidate sit a revalidation or upgrade assessment, if they do not have a logbook on the day of assessment?
A. No, as per clause 4.13.4, Rope access technicians wishing to revalidate or upgrade cannot be considered for Assessment without a correctly maintained and up to date Logbook.
If a candidate has lost or damaged their IRATA Logbook, ID Card or Certificate; replacements can be obtained by using the Technician Document Replacement Request form here
Q. Are candidates assessing at Level 1 or Level 2 required to take a theory examination?
A. Level 1 and level 2 Candidates are required to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge of the applicable ‘TACS’ [TC-101] syllabus items, but this does not have to be under examination conditions. These theory elements are designated as ‘Awareness’ items on the ‘Technician Assessment Form’ [FM-025].
Q. Are candidates assessing at Level 3 required to take a theory examination?
A. Yes, candidates assessing at level 3 are required to take a theory examination.
Q. I am a Level 3 and I understand that am required to undergo a theory exam, but my training company doesn’t currently offer the online exam. Will my assessment still be valid?
A. Training companies have a transition period of up to the 16th November 2023 to implement the online examination. If they do not have this available (before this date), you will still have to undergo a theory test but this will be in accordance with requirements specified in TACS v005.
Q. Can a level 3 candidate fail the online or contingency theory examination?
A. Yes, Level 3 candidates are required to undertake a Theory Examination and they be awarded one of the following outcomes for their Examination:
Greater than or equal to 70% - Pass
Greater than or equal to 50% but less than 70% - Minor Discrepancy
Less than 50% - Major Discrepancy
Up until the 16th November 2023, if a Level 3 candidate fails the online theory examination, they will be allowed to re-attempt the Level theory examination as per the TACS v005 Level 3 theory test.
Q. Can the Level 3 theory exam and practical assessment be taken on different days?
A. No, as per TACS clause 9.5.2.2, the Theory Examination and practical assessment must be conducted on the same calendar date. The Theory Examination should be conducted first to accommodate for the provision of a downgraded assessments (where applicable).
Q.What subjects are the theory exam questions based on?
A. The Questions will cover the following topics:
a. hazard identification and risk assessment (see clause 6.2.3);
b. selection of access method (see clause 6.2.4);
c. selection of personnel and competence (see clause 6.2.5);
d. safety method statement (see clause 6.2.6);
e. exclusion zones, protection of third parties and permits to work (see clause 6.2.7);
f. planning for emergencies (see clause 6.2.8);
g. first aid and suspension intolerance (see clause 6.2.9);
h. equipment (see clause 6.3).
The document, ‘Level 3 Theory Examination References’ [FM-412ENG] will be made available for TMC’s regarding the subject material covered in the New Level 3 Theory Examinations. This will be released shortly.
Q. If our Trainer Member Company is suspended, are we still able to conduct IRATA Training courses?
A. No, as per clause 7.1.5, suspended IRATA Member Companies are not permitted to conduct IRATA Training, nor make provision for IRATA Assessments.
Q. Who invigilates the level 3 theory examination?
A. The Level 3 Theory Examination will be invigilated by an IRATA Assessor on the Assessment day.
Q. What happens if the Online Examination Platform cannot be accessed on the day?
A. In exceptional circumstances, if the IRATA Online Examination Platform cannot be accessed, a contingency paper-based theory examination will be utilised by the assessor. This will be in a paper-based format.
Q. How do we assess the level 3 theory examination in the meantime whilst it is being rolled out?
A. There is a 6-month period for Trainer Member Companies to comply with the changes required to implement the Level 3 online theory examination, during this period online training will be available to all TMC’s and IRATA Assessors.
IRATA members will not be penalised for using the TACS version 005 process for conducting theory examinations during the 6-month period, but are encouraged to transition into the new process as soon as they are able.
Q. If a candidate fails an upgrade assessment, are they able to continue the assessment at a lower level?
A. No, as per TACS clause 9.4.5, upgrade Assessments resulting in a fail, due to a Major Discrepancy or a third Minor Discrepancy on any syllabus item, cannot be continued, on the same calendar date, for the purpose of revalidating the technician to a lower level.
Q. If a candidate has ordered a replacement logbook, are they able to use a logbook serial number in lieu of the hard copy logbook for training and assessment?
A. No, as per clause 4.3.4, Rope access technicians who are upgrading or revalidating shall provide their Logbooks to the IRATA Trainer Member Company prior to the start of the Training course. Where rope access technicians have lost their Logbooks, they must arrange for a replacement logbook, and this must be completed and provided to the Trainer Member Company before training commences.
Q. I am a level 3 technician who upgraded from level 2 in May, I’m currently working for a non-member company as a level 3, but I haven’t received my new card and certificate yet. I see that the amnesty for my yellow form has been extended to November, so does that mean that my yellow form is proof of my level 3 certificate as I will be moving to a new site in two weeks?
A. The yellow candidate copy is provided to candidates as evidence of the assessment outcome and is not a temporary certificate. IRATA head office will conduct verification checks to ensure that all prerequisites for certification, have been met before issuing your new certificate and technician card. If successful, these will be issued to you dated from the assessment date.
The grace period that you refer to which is currently in place until November 16th 2023, is to provide time for IRATA Member Companies to ensure they have measures in place which fully comply with the membership requirements.
It is important that technicians revalidate in advance of certificate expiry to avoid any period where they are not covered by their qualification.
Q. As an Assessor, should I continue to mark the assessment outcome on a Technician Assessment Form [FM025], using the ’Fail’, ‘Satisfactory’, ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ and ‘Excellent’ boxes, or mark the form as ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’, in accordance with the latest TACS version 006?
A. Assessors should continue to mark the assessment outcome using the ’Fail’, ‘Satisfactory’, ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ and ‘Excellent’ boxes in accordance with the latest version of the Technician Assessment Form [FM025]. Updates will be made to the next version of the 025 form, which will be released as a digital marking system on the Assessor App.
Q. When assessing candidates, as an Assessor am I still permitted to use either version (009 or 010) of the Technician Assessment Form [FM025]?
A. Version 009 and 010 are the only versions approved for use. Assessors should use up all version 009 Technician Assessment Forms [FM025] they possess before using version 010.
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