• To work safely in rope access requires those engaged in the work to have an appropriate attitude and aptitude. A good level of fitness and physical capability is also required. If unsure, an appraisal session should be arranged with an IRATA Trainer member company.
• An aptitude for work at height includes not only having ‘a head for heights’, but also an appropriate level of responsibility and self-reliance. A healthy respect for heights remains an advantage; over-confident or reckless workers may present greater risks than the cautious.
• Rope access work locations are often remote from outside help; it is, therefore, especially important that operatives can be relied upon to behave in a sensible and responsible manner.
• The Trainer member company has the right to exclude any candidate from training if they have concerns over the candidate’s health, fitness or attitude to safety during training

• Training shall be carried out by full or probationary IRATA Trainer member companies.
• Training shall be led by an IRATA Level 3 rope access Technician. The maximum candidate to Trainer ratio shall be six to one (only with a Level 3 Instructor)
• Breaks in training, or between training and assessment, shall not be longer than 60 days, after which candidates are required to attend a further training course in full. Evidence of qualifying prior training must be presented to the Training member company prior to assessment.

• The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that each candidate demonstrates the required tasks in a safe manner, in accordance with the requirements of this scheme.
• The Assessor shall not require tasks that are outside the relevant syllabus.
• IRATA assessments shall only be carried out by IRATA Assessors who are independent of the candidate, the candidate’s employer and the organisation providing training.
• Before starting the assessment, the Assessor and Training member company shall agree how the responsibility for the health and safety of the candidates is to be managed.
• All candidates shall be fully briefed by the Assessor before and during the assessment.
• The assessment is in two parts: written and practical. Where appropriate, the Assessor may explore the candidate’s knowledge further by discussion.
• Candidates may be asked to carry out an exercise, or exercises, that include more than one element of the assessment.
• There are two possible overall results: pass or fail. To pass the assessment, the candidate shall successfully complete all the required elements of the syllabus at the relevant level. The assessment ends and the candidate fails if one major discrepancy or three minor discrepancies are committed during the assessment. 
• The candidate shall be able to obtain clarification of any requirement from the Assessor at any time during the assessment.
• The Assessor shall inform the candidate of discrepancies when they occur and shall explain the safety issue arising from the situation.
• The candidate shall sign the IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] at the beginning of the assessment. At the end of the assessment, the Assessor shall debrief each candidate and inform them of the result. The Assessor shall provide all copies of the completed IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] to the Training member company (see clause 7.9.5).Where a candidate has failed to reach the required standard, the Assessor may specify that more training is required. This should be completed before re-assessment.

• Certification at all levels is valid for three years, or until the next assessment. NOTE In some circumstances, early revalidation can mean certificates are valid for up to 3 ½ years.
• After the expiry date on the certificate has passed, rope access Technicians are no longer certified to carry out rope access operations.
• In exceptional circumstances IRATA may withdraw a Technician’s certification prior to its expiry date. Such circumstances include a lack of regard to safety issues, inability to operate in a safe manner, abuse of IRATA certification and falsification of information. NOTE Failure at assessment, whether upgrade or revalidation, may result in the withdrawal of all IRATA Technician certification.
• Certificates are issued in the name of the rope access technician, not the employer, irrespective of who has paid for the course. A change of employer for a rope access technician, therefore, is not a cause for reassessment.

NOTE : All employers should ensure that their employees’ or sub-contractors’ certificates are current by verifying validity at www.irata.org.

IRATA will not process complaints in relation to fees or contractual disputes

• IRATA certificates shall be renewed within three years of the date of assessment. Revalidation courses are subject to the same requirements as set out in 4.4 Training programs TACS document.
• If revalidation training and successful assessment are completed in the 180-day period prior to the expiry of a current certificate, a new certificate shall be issued with an expiry date three years from the date of expiry of the previous certificate.
• All revalidating candidates are required to complete a minimum of four days of training prior to assessment.
• Any Level 2 or Level 3 rope access Technician undertaking re-assessment after the expiry of their previous certificate should contact an IRATA Trainer member company for further guidance. Further information can be found in the Procedures for IRATA Certification [TC-032].

Rope access Technicians wishing to revalidate or upgrade who anticipate expiry of their certification due to medical reasons can, prior to expiry, contact an IRATA Trainer member company. The IRATA Trainer member company shall document the reasons for the planned expiry and ensure there are suitable grounds for in-date certification to be delayed by liaising with the IRATA Head Office directly.

Complaints can be submitted through the IRATA website (www.irata.org) or by writing to complaints@irata.org

• To work safely in rope access requires those engaged in the work to have an appropriate attitude and aptitude. A good level of fitness and physical capability is also required. If unsure, an appraisal session should be arranged with an IRATA Trainer member company.
• An aptitude for work at height includes not only having ‘a head for heights’, but also an appropriate level of responsibility and self-reliance. A healthy respect for heights remains an advantage; over-confident or reckless workers may present greater risks than the cautious.
• Rope access work locations are often remote from outside help; it is, therefore, especially important that operatives can be relied upon to behave in a sensible and responsible manner.
• The Trainer member company has the right to exclude any candidate from training if they have concerns over the candidate’s health, fitness or attitude to safety during training

• Training shall be carried out by full or probationary IRATA Trainer member companies.
• Training shall be led by an IRATA Level 3 rope access Technician. The maximum candidate to Trainer ratio shall be six to one (only with a Level 3 Instructor)
• Breaks in training, or between training and assessment, shall not be longer than 60 days, after which candidates are required to attend a further training course in full. Evidence of qualifying prior training must be presented to the Training member company prior to assessment.

• The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that each candidate demonstrates the required tasks in a safe manner, in accordance with the requirements of this scheme.
• The Assessor shall not require tasks that are outside the relevant syllabus.
• IRATA assessments shall only be carried out by IRATA Assessors who are independent of the candidate, the candidate’s employer and the organisation providing training.
• Before starting the assessment, the Assessor and Training member company shall agree how the responsibility for the health and safety of the candidates is to be managed.
• All candidates shall be fully briefed by the Assessor before and during the assessment.
• The assessment is in two parts: written and practical. Where appropriate, the Assessor may explore the candidate’s knowledge further by discussion.
• Candidates may be asked to carry out an exercise, or exercises, that include more than one element of the assessment.
• There are two possible overall results: pass or fail. To pass the assessment, the candidate shall successfully complete all the required elements of the syllabus at the relevant level. The assessment ends and the candidate fails if one major discrepancy or three minor discrepancies are committed during the assessment. 
• The candidate shall be able to obtain clarification of any requirement from the Assessor at any time during the assessment.
• The Assessor shall inform the candidate of discrepancies when they occur and shall explain the safety issue arising from the situation.
• The candidate shall sign the IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] at the beginning of the assessment. At the end of the assessment, the Assessor shall debrief each candidate and inform them of the result. The Assessor shall provide all copies of the completed IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] to the Training member company (see clause 7.9.5).Where a candidate has failed to reach the required standard, the Assessor may specify that more training is required. This should be completed before re-assessment.

• Certification at all levels is valid for three years, or until the next assessment. NOTE In some circumstances, early revalidation can mean certificates are valid for up to 3 ½ years.
• After the expiry date on the certificate has passed, rope access Technicians are no longer certified to carry out rope access operations.
• In exceptional circumstances IRATA may withdraw a Technician’s certification prior to its expiry date. Such circumstances include a lack of regard to safety issues, inability to operate in a safe manner, abuse of IRATA certification and falsification of information. NOTE Failure at assessment, whether upgrade or revalidation, may result in the withdrawal of all IRATA Technician certification.
• Certificates are issued in the name of the rope access technician, not the employer, irrespective of who has paid for the course. A change of employer for a rope access technician, therefore, is not a cause for reassessment.

NOTE : All employers should ensure that their employees’ or sub-contractors’ certificates are current by verifying validity at www.irata.org.

IRATA will not process complaints in relation to fees or contractual disputes

• IRATA certificates shall be renewed within three years of the date of assessment. Revalidation courses are subject to the same requirements as set out in 4.4 Training programs TACS document.
• If revalidation training and successful assessment are completed in the 180-day period prior to the expiry of a current certificate, a new certificate shall be issued with an expiry date three years from the date of expiry of the previous certificate.
• All revalidating candidates are required to complete a minimum of four days of training prior to assessment.
• Any Level 2 or Level 3 rope access Technician undertaking re-assessment after the expiry of their previous certificate should contact an IRATA Trainer member company for further guidance. Further information can be found in the Procedures for IRATA Certification [TC-032].

Rope access Technicians wishing to revalidate or upgrade who anticipate expiry of their certification due to medical reasons can, prior to expiry, contact an IRATA Trainer member company. The IRATA Trainer member company shall document the reasons for the planned expiry and ensure there are suitable grounds for in-date certification to be delayed by liaising with the IRATA Head Office directly.

Complaints can be submitted through the IRATA website (www.irata.org) or by writing to complaints@irata.org

• To work safely in rope access requires those engaged in the work to have an appropriate attitude and aptitude. A good level of fitness and physical capability is also required. If unsure, an appraisal session should be arranged with an IRATA Trainer member company.
• An aptitude for work at height includes not only having ‘a head for heights’, but also an appropriate level of responsibility and self-reliance. A healthy respect for heights remains an advantage; over-confident or reckless workers may present greater risks than the cautious.
• Rope access work locations are often remote from outside help; it is, therefore, especially important that operatives can be relied upon to behave in a sensible and responsible manner.
• The Trainer member company has the right to exclude any candidate from training if they have concerns over the candidate’s health, fitness or attitude to safety during training

• Training shall be carried out by full or probationary IRATA Trainer member companies.
• Training shall be led by an IRATA Level 3 rope access Technician. The maximum candidate to Trainer ratio shall be six to one (only with a Level 3 Instructor)
• Breaks in training, or between training and assessment, shall not be longer than 60 days, after which candidates are required to attend a further training course in full. Evidence of qualifying prior training must be presented to the Training member company prior to assessment.

• The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that each candidate demonstrates the required tasks in a safe manner, in accordance with the requirements of this scheme.
• The Assessor shall not require tasks that are outside the relevant syllabus.
• IRATA assessments shall only be carried out by IRATA Assessors who are independent of the candidate, the candidate’s employer and the organisation providing training.
• Before starting the assessment, the Assessor and Training member company shall agree how the responsibility for the health and safety of the candidates is to be managed.
• All candidates shall be fully briefed by the Assessor before and during the assessment.
• The assessment is in two parts: written and practical. Where appropriate, the Assessor may explore the candidate’s knowledge further by discussion.
• Candidates may be asked to carry out an exercise, or exercises, that include more than one element of the assessment.
• There are two possible overall results: pass or fail. To pass the assessment, the candidate shall successfully complete all the required elements of the syllabus at the relevant level. The assessment ends and the candidate fails if one major discrepancy or three minor discrepancies are committed during the assessment. 
• The candidate shall be able to obtain clarification of any requirement from the Assessor at any time during the assessment.
• The Assessor shall inform the candidate of discrepancies when they occur and shall explain the safety issue arising from the situation.
• The candidate shall sign the IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] at the beginning of the assessment. At the end of the assessment, the Assessor shall debrief each candidate and inform them of the result. The Assessor shall provide all copies of the completed IRATA Technician Assessment Form [FM-025] to the Training member company (see clause 7.9.5).Where a candidate has failed to reach the required standard, the Assessor may specify that more training is required. This should be completed before re-assessment.

• Certification at all levels is valid for three years, or until the next assessment. NOTE In some circumstances, early revalidation can mean certificates are valid for up to 3 ½ years.
• After the expiry date on the certificate has passed, rope access Technicians are no longer certified to carry out rope access operations.
• In exceptional circumstances IRATA may withdraw a Technician’s certification prior to its expiry date. Such circumstances include a lack of regard to safety issues, inability to operate in a safe manner, abuse of IRATA certification and falsification of information. NOTE Failure at assessment, whether upgrade or revalidation, may result in the withdrawal of all IRATA Technician certification.
• Certificates are issued in the name of the rope access technician, not the employer, irrespective of who has paid for the course. A change of employer for a rope access technician, therefore, is not a cause for reassessment.

NOTE : All employers should ensure that their employees’ or sub-contractors’ certificates are current by verifying validity at www.irata.org.

IRATA will not process complaints in relation to fees or contractual disputes

• IRATA certificates shall be renewed within three years of the date of assessment. Revalidation courses are subject to the same requirements as set out in 4.4 Training programs TACS document.
• If revalidation training and successful assessment are completed in the 180-day period prior to the expiry of a current certificate, a new certificate shall be issued with an expiry date three years from the date of expiry of the previous certificate.
• All revalidating candidates are required to complete a minimum of four days of training prior to assessment.
• Any Level 2 or Level 3 rope access Technician undertaking re-assessment after the expiry of their previous certificate should contact an IRATA Trainer member company for further guidance. Further information can be found in the Procedures for IRATA Certification [TC-032].

Rope access Technicians wishing to revalidate or upgrade who anticipate expiry of their certification due to medical reasons can, prior to expiry, contact an IRATA Trainer member company. The IRATA Trainer member company shall document the reasons for the planned expiry and ensure there are suitable grounds for in-date certification to be delayed by liaising with the IRATA Head Office directly.

Complaints can be submitted through the IRATA website (www.irata.org) or by writing to complaints@irata.org