Rope access jobs involve working in high and hard to reach areas, with positions available in industrial safety, mountaineering, wind energy, geotechnical work, and offshore structures. Required qualifications vary by region, but generally workers need special training and certification. Companies typically supply equipment and may offer free training or certification. Experienced workers can become instructors or supervisors.
Rope access training covers mountaineering and accessing industrial lifelines. Most jobs are in the field of industrial safety, although some people work as mountaineering guides or instructors. Rope access jobs often involve working in high areas and hard to reach areas such as mine shafts or indoor chimneys. The main categories for rope access work are man-made structures on land, geotechnical work, which encompasses natural formations and offshore structures. The main purpose of the cable harness is to provide safety in these jobs.
Companies that deal with man-made structures such as buildings and bridges often have jobs available for rope access. Positions are generally available in the construction, inspection and maintenance departments. Some of the work may include working on chimneys and tall masts or shafts such as those in mines. One of the newer jobs for rope access workers is in the field of wind energy such as maintaining wind turbines.
Another field that employs people skilled in rope access is the geotechnical field. These jobs involve working on natural structures such as cliffs, caves and steep slopes. Workers often have to inspect these formations for damage and potential damage. For example, a worker might be expected to determine the possibility of a steep road sliding into a road or railroad. Repairing these geological formations may include installing anchors or incorporating grout.
The offshore field offers rope access jobs for the skilled workers. These workers often need extra certification and instruction for survival abroad. Jobs on an oil or gas platform may include inspection and repair of the platform. Maintenance work usually consists of welding, rust removal and painting, and other work.
Other rope access jobs cover any field where people need to work in high places such as towers, trees or power lines. Unusual professions that need people skilled in rope access include theater rigging and theatrical acrobatics, pest control and ecological research.
Often people need other skills to qualify for a rope access job. For example, on an oil rig, a worker may need to be a qualified welder as well as certified as a rope access worker. In the building trade, a skilled mason may need rope access experience to work on tall structures. Other jobs, such as cleaning windows or hanging advertising banners, may not require additional skills. Many of these jobs are appropriate for beginner rope access workers.
The equipment used by workers depends on the type of rope access work. Typically, the company supplies the equipment because it needs to be inspected and certified frequently. It is difficult to control personally owned equipment.
There are two types of helmets: mountaineering and industrial safety. The mountaineering helmet does not come off easily, while the industrial safety helmet is designed to come off if caught. Many companies use an industrial safety helmet chinstrap with the mountaineering helmet to create safer helmets for extremely hazardous jobs.
Required qualifications differ by regional and local regulations, but generally workers need special training and certification. Some companies offer free training and certification to qualified applicants or reimburse the worker for outside training. Generally, technical schools offer rope access courses and certifications.
Experienced workers with rope access certifications can find employment as instructors or work supervisors. Generally, jobs that have many rope access workers will hire a manager or supervisor to ensure that all people are properly trained, certified and performing the job properly. These supervisors are usually responsible for inspecting the rigging and ensuring that all documentation is up to date.
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