News Archive

This October, the IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC) convened in Kraków, Poland, where hundreds of member company representatives from six continents came together for the latest industry updates and insights. Our community grows year after year, with the ITEC a tangible reminder of the truly global nature of the connections we continue to build.

IRATA is excited to announce the launch of our Level 3 Technician exams in Spanish. This initiative is part of our ongoing effort to make our certification program accessible to a broader range of technicians worldwide.

Workers in confined spaces face potential risks, such as oxygen deficiency, toxic atmospheres, and physical engulfment. IRATA has released a case study exploring the complexities encountered by a rope access team operating within confined shafts in Safety Bulletin No. 50.

Consider these 5 key lessons from IRATA’s WASA 2024, highlighting actionable learnings from member company employment, incident, and accident data to help rope access companies improve operations and protect their workforces.

IRATA has released ICOP Annex S: Working Over Water, guidance for safe industrial rope access operations over bodies of water.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in October 2024:

At our recent IRATA Technical Event and Conference in Kraków, Poland, the Chair of IRATA’s Equipment and Standards Committee announced the publication of new annexes to IRATA’s International Code of Practice (ICOP).

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in September 2024:

With over 25 years of experience in the rope access industry, we are excited to welcome Adriano Peixoto as a guest speaker at the IRATA Technical Event and Conference 2024 in Krakow, Poland.

​Sanjay Verma will join us as a guest speaker at the IRATA Technical Event and Conference in Kraków this October. With over 30 years of experience in numerous sectors, specialising in inspection, maintenance, and repair for onshore and offshore operations, Sanjay is a dedicated advocate for the safety of workers at height.

With over a decade of experience in PPE development and manufacturing, Philippe Westenberger will take the stage at this year’s IRATA Technical Event and Conference to explore a lesser-discussed aspect of safety gear: handmade splices.

William Parsons, a leading specialist engineer in work-at-height safety and former Chair of the Canadian Standards Association’s Z259 Technical Committee on Fall Protection, has been confirmed as a guest speaker at this year’s ITEC in Krakow.

IRATA International has established a Memorandum of Understanding with the Working at Height Association of Australia (WAHA). Established in 2009, WAHA is a forum for all persons working at height. IRATA, the leading worldwide authority on industrial rope access boasts a membership of over 750 companies across 71 countries, with operations spanning every continent.

Former programme manager for the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Alex Beltrao, has been confirmed as guest speaker for the annual IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC), taking place in Kraków, Poland over the 8th and 9th of October at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre.

Tickets for member companies are already being reserved for this year’s IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC) taking place at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre, Poland, on Tuesday 8th October, and Wednesday 9th October 2024. The ITEC features guest speakers, exhibitors, committee updates, technical demonstrations and the IRATA Annual General Meeting.

Troy Beaumont, Chairman of IRATA’s Australasian Regional Advisory Committee (RAC), has been confirmed as the first guest speaker for the annual IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC) with his talk “A year on the ice - Living and working in Antarctica”

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in July 2024:

We are pleased to announce that tickets are now available to member companies for our annual IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC), which will take place at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre, Poland, on Tuesday 8th October, and Wednesday 9th October 2024. Tickets are limited to 2 delegates per member company.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in June 2024:

Following the start of commercial crude oil production in its coastal waters in 2019, Guyana has been identified as a location set for significant growth in the Oil and Gas industry. Oil production has surged, with projections indicating that output will reach 1 million bpd in 2025.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in May 2024:

We are delighted to announce that our annual IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC) will be held over two days at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre, Poland.

Please save the date:

Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th October 2024.

Tickets will be released soon.

We look forward to seeing you in Kraków!

IRATA member Applus Pty Ltd recently participated in the annual AOG (Australian Oil and Gas) Energy conference in Perth, an event supported by government bodies and major industry operators. The conference is renowned for bringing together the region’s energy supply chain and acting as a platform for discovering innovation, with its focus moving toward renewable energy.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in April 2024:

IRATA is proud to announce the successful outcome of yet another UKAS surveillance audit to the ISO/IEC 17024 standard. This series of achievements further reinforces the integrity and robustness of our technician certification scheme and online theory examination.

Over three decades after IRATA International’s formation in the late 1980s, we are proud to share that we have surpassed 100,000 active certified IRATA Technicians. This is a huge milestone for IRATA in our ongoing mission to promote and maintain safety in the rope access industry. It demonstrates that the global attitude towards safety and the value of highly skilled, professional workers continues to grow as our industry thrives.

IRATA Executive Chair Jonathan Capper commented on this news: “Despite a period of uncertainty caused by a global pandemic, rope access has continued to prosper. We recognise that this landmark is a collective achievement, demonstrating the strength of collaboration in our community.”

We would like to take this opportunity to thank IRATA’s Members, Technicians, and supporters for their continued dedication to upholding safety at the highest level.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in March 2024:

The No Falls Foundation, a charity dedicated to the work at height sector, launches its first No Falls Week campaign from 13th to 17th May, 2024. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of safe working at height and prevent falls in all industries.

With the forthcoming changes to the CSCS Card scheme, please see the following information below to assist IRATA Technicians with their applications.

MSA has released a notice requesting the inspection of their ‘MSA Latchways Guided Type Fall Arrester’ product.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in February 2024:

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in January 2024:

IRATA is pleased to announce the release of its newly updated Incident Reporting Form [FM-021ENG] and associated guidance document, implemented to refine the reporting process and make it easier for members to report incidents.

IRATA International’s head office are seeking to appoint a Training and Assessment Technical Officer based at our offices in Kent, UK.

For further information on this role please click on the following link - Rope Access Jobs | IRATA International

PETZL have released a notice requesting the inspection of GRILLON products.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in December 2023:

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in November 2023:

ISC have released a notice requesting the inspection of UltraLink LK100A1.2 & LK101A1.2.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in October 2023:

PETZL have released a notice requesting the inspection of ASTRO and CANYON GUIDE harnesses.

IRATA International is thrilled to unveil the results of its recent Chair and Vice Chair election as follows:

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in September 2023.

We would like to thank all those who attended the London Work at Height Seminar (LWAHS) on its return to the London Guildhall. With guests travelling from as far as the UAE, India and Brazil, the fifth LWAHS was a great success providing an opportunity for industry counterparts to come together to further their professional knowledge and safety awareness of the wider work at height industry.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in August 2023.

Darren Williams has recently been elected as the new MECASA

RAC Chair. Darren, the previous Committee Vice-Chair, takes over from James
Falchetto, who has led the committee for the past 2 years.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in July 2023

Whilst IRATA International has continued to grow in Member and Technician numbers year on year, the recent tragic event in Australia has highlighted that even with that growth, we continue to be a close-knit community who show support and concern for each other.

Australasia RAC Chair, Troy Beaumont, met with Antarctica New Zealand’s operations and engineering team to discuss IRATA’s safety management system and the current work-at-height requirements for safe operations in Antarctica.

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in June 2023

Regrettably, IRATA has received information of an incident which has resulted in the death of a rope access technician during their normal working operations. This incident was reported by a member of the Australasia RAC on the 2nd of June 2023 and an investigation by authorities is underway. We will make information available when investigations have been completed.

Applications are now open for the City of London’s Work at Height Innovation Award, which recognises and celebrates those professionals, and their products or services, that have pushed the limits of innovation to promote safer working practices within the work at height industry.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in May 2023:

IRATA is delighted to announce that the 2023 IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC) will return to the UK from Wednesday, 22nd November to Friday, 24th November 2023, hosted at the prestigious Guildhall in the City of London.

IRATA Executive Committee Vice-Chair, Peter Wood, was invited to present

at the Engineering Advancement Association of Japan’s (ENAA) recent
meeting alongside Kariya-San from IRATA member company GRAB LLC. The
ENNA is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to support technological
advancement and resource development within the region and is comprised
of almost 270 member companies across various industries and government
sectors.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in April 2023:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in March 2023:

IRATA’s Mediterranean Regional Advisory Committee (MEDRAC) Chair and Vice-Chair, Sébastien Gilleron and Yvan Clavelier, met with the Direction Générale du Travail in Paris on 10^th January 2023 to discuss rope access in France and to promote IRATA’s safe working practices.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in February 2023:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in January 2023:

We are delighted to announce that IRATA has been granted accreditation to ISO/IEC 17024 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in December 2022:

IRATA International is backing the Access Industry Forum (AIF) in its campaign to save the UK’s Work at Height Regulations from repeal.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in November 2022:

We are saddened to inform you that on 3rd November 2022, Paul Seddon OBE passed peacefully, aged 82.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in October 2022:​

We are delighted to announce a new member company in Saudi Arabia, Winclex Rope Access Solutions, who recently joined our Association.

We contacted Winclex’s Business Development Manager, Hany Karamany, to ask about the experience of becoming an IRATA trainer member company.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in September 2022:​

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in August 2022:

We are delighted to announce and welcome our first member company in Argentina, American Rope Access S.R.L.. The addition of American Rope Access S.R.L. will bring our member companies in the North and South America to a total of 49 and will help to improve and promote safety awareness in industrial rope access throughout the Western World.
We contacted American Rope Access S.R.L. Director, Marcelo Guedella, to ask him about the experience of becoming an IRATA trainer member company.

Earlier this year, our North Sea Operators RAC Chair travelled to Africa to host a preliminary meeting to initiate the formation of a new IRATA Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) which will be known as the Sub-Sahara Africa RAC.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in July 2022:

​Our previous events were put on hold in response to government guidelines to keep everyone safe from the pandemic, but we are now delighted to announce that our London Work at Height Seminar will be back in 2023. The seminar will be held at the prestigious London Guildhall with a brand-new programme, speakers, exhibitors, and technical demonstrations.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in June 2022:

​​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in May 2022:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in April 2022:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in March 2022:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in February 2022:

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that Rodney Marage, our General Manager and Company Secretary, passed away on the 2nd February 2022 following a battle with cancer. This announcement has been delayed until now to allow Rodney’s family time to share this tragic news.

As stated in TACS [TC-101ENG] clause 4.3.4:

Rope access Technicians who are upgrading or revalidating shall provide their logbooks to the IRATA Training member company prior to the start of the training course. Where rope access Technicians have lost their logbooks, they shall arrange for a replacement to be issued, completed and verified before training commences.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in January 2022:

IRATA International have updated their signatory shown on IRATA Certification. All new IRATA certificates will be issued with the new signatory, Dr S Kondaveeti (Head of Quality, Audit and Certification) with effect from 24/01/2022. Please see the examples below:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in December 2021:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in November 2021:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in October 2021:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in September 2021:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in August 2021:

IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in July 2021:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in June 2021:

Following a survey of certified IRATA member companies based in 65 countries, the decision was made to transfer IRATA’s paper-based logbook into the digital domain. 73% of the 423 global member companies who responded to the survey want only Certified IRATA Level 3 Technicians and IRATA member company representatives to verify logbook working hours. Level 3 (L3) IRATA technicians will be able to verify work hours regardless of whether they work for an IRATA member company or not.

Two IRATA member companies and their IRATA committee representative (Main Respondent but together referred to as Respondents) misused IRATA intellectual property for their own financial gain thereby breaching trust, confidentiality, relevant codes of conduct and IRATA policy. The Respondents used current exam questions, identical to those used and created by IRATA, in their own website mock-exam software which was accessible on their website for a fee.

Following multiple revisions and testing by a select group of Assessors, IRATA’s long awaited Assessment App is being tested in the field. The App which is expected to be in full use by late 2021 will significantly speed up candidate assessments and verification. The current paper-based system, which has been with us for close to 30 years has served IRATA well but is in need of an update to improve security and accuracy. IRATA’s real-time “Technician Verification” tool, introduced in 2015, has proved successful in reducing certification fraud, but the new digital system will strengthen the integrity of certification. An IRATA training member commented: “I can’t believe IRATA are asking me to do less administration processing. I’m delighted!”. IRATA are delighted too!

An IRATA Trainer member company was conducting rope access operations whilst not holding IRATA Operator membership. The Respondent admitted their wrongdoing, claiming: “the rope access work in question was undertaken as a one-off favor for a local community organization”. The Respondent confirmed that they would immediately cease operational work until they successfully obtained IRATA Operator membership. The Adjudicating Panel determined as follows:

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in May 2021:

It was necessary for IRATA International to amend and add additional clauses in their Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme (TACS). These changes relate to unsuccessful candidate assessments and the required timeframe for candidate training, assessment and reassessment. Full details are below. Also, at the bottom of this article are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the changes made to IRATA’s TACS.

ISO/IEC 17024:2012, Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons (ISO 17024) is the International Standard relating to the conformity assessment for bodies operating certification of persons. Certification bodies that are accredited to this standard have demonstrated an impartial and rigorous quality approach and their clients can have confidence in the personnel certified through such schemes.

IRATA International’s new Membership Requirements’ will come into effect from 1st July 2021.

This means that, on the 30th June 2021, the use of their ‘Membership Audit Checklist [FM-039ENG]’ will become obsolete for member audit purposes and will be replaced by their ‘Stage 1 Audit Form [FM-333ENG]’. From the 1st July 2021, IRATA Members will be audited against the revised standard - the ‘IRATA Membership Requirements [QP-300ENG]’.

As an association we are still recording an unacceptably high number of dropped object incidents. These are objects being dropped onto, or close to, operatives working below and are quite often dislodged by technician’s ropes whilst manoeuvring.

IRATA Associate member, Rope-Sure, the insurance brand established to provide specialist policies to IRATA trained technicians and organisations that are members of IRATA International, has released an updated product along with an online quote and buy facility to support its customers.

​IRATA International would like to take this opportunity to welcome its newest members who were appointed in April 2021:

The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on 31 January 2020 has created significant changes to the marking of products offered for sale within the UK.

Whilst a transition period was in place until 31 December 2020, as of 1 January 2021 the new system took effect. With regard to product marking, this change means that the old European ‘CE’ marking system shall no longer be valid and is to be replaced with a new ‘UKCA’ mark.