IRATA Australasia
IRATA is an acronym for the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, that was formed in the UK in the late 1980’s, to solve maintenance challenges in the offshore oil and gas industry. Its formation was the result of an initiative of a number of leading companies, who had begun to use industrial rope access techniques, to provide a safe working environment for the industry.
The rope access technique developed by IRATA is used in a wide range of repair, maintenance, inspection and access work. Rope access methodology boasts an unrivalled safety record, short set-up and dismantling time, positive environmental benefits and removes the need for invasive access equipment or disruption to a worksite.Â
IRATA International’s rope access system is a safe method of working at height where ropes and associated equipment are used to gain access to and from the work position, and to be supported there.
IRATA is now recognised as the world’s leading authority on industrial rope access. It has over 570 member companies around the world and has trained in excess of 170,000 rope access Technicians worldwide.
IRATA directs and regulates, through its members, the training of all workers seeking its qualifications. These member companies provide training, operational services, or both.
The advantage of using rope access methods mainly lies in the safety and speed with which workers can get to or from difficult locations in order to carry out their work, often with minimal impact on other operations, surrounding areas and the environment. Another major benefit is the reduction of the combination of the total man-hours and perceived level of risk for a particular task (man-at-risk hours) when compared with other means of access and their associated risks and costs.
IRATA has Regional Advisory Committees to represent the IRATA Member Companies in that area.Â
IRATA Australasia represent over 55 industrial rope access companies in Australia and New Zealand, each externally audited to IRATA International standards.
Why use an IRATA Member Company?
Working at height safely is not achieved without diligence, careful planning and considered application. IRATA’s safe working record is independently verified annually through its unique Work and Safety Analysis Report (WASA report) that has been produced for the last 20 years.
The document is produced from member company quarterly statistical returns and compiled by a senior Health and Safety expert, who is encouraged to produce the report without editorial restriction. The completed report is made available, free of charge, to all stakeholders within our industry sector. These reports have shown an incident rate that is far below expected levels for the sector, reported by national governments or trade body.
