Phone 0800 030 4391

Irata Safety Reports

Phone: 0800 030 4391

Health & Safety Executive Accident Statistics

The HSE reports 34 fatalities in the six months to September 2008 for the sector including construction. IRATA has never recorded a death whilst working on ropes in the 19 years of compiling its annual independently-audited Work and Safety Analysis. The other figures in the HSE report generally show decreases; IRATA currently records an incident rate of barely three per 100000 hours worked; with IRATA members working in excess of 2.5 million hours per year!

IRATA the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association was formed in the late 1980's, as the result of an initiative by a number of leading companies involved in industrial rope access techniques, to provide a safe working environment for the industry.

Safety is paramount in our industry. Since its formation irata, and its member companies, have worked assiduously to:

improve safety in the industry.
produce an industry standard set of guidelines and training requirements.
provide a comprehensive assessment and registration process for operatives.

Much of this work has been carried in close liaison with the Health and Safety Executive (UK). This has created an effective framework within which, in the decade that irata has been collecting safety statistics, there have been NO major or fatal accidents amongst its members. The incident rate for members is consistently well below that of other industries during the same period. Rope access provides an effective, efficient and economic means of access. However it must be carried out in a proficient and safe manner.

IRATA's main activities are to:

Promote and maintain a high standard of: industrial rope access activities in terms of safety and work quality.
provide guidance on training and certification of personnel involved in Industrial Rope Access.
Produce publications and guidance on good working practice, training and other related topics.
Prepare submission and provide informed opinion and advice to government departments and others on matters concerning health, safety and training.
Assist working parties charged with commenting on and discussing existing and draft legislation and directives.
Assist in the provision of appropriate educational training and certification opportunities for personnel employed in Industrial Rope Access.
Provide a forum for the free and informal exchange of experience and opinion.

Membership Criteria

Each IRATA member is audited by an independent third party auditor to ensure that it has in place correct procedures and systems to ensure that industrial rope access is carried out in a safe manner. Each company is obliged to work in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Guidelines for safe working, which the Health and Safety Executive (UK) have commended. The Guidelines have now been further modified into a general set of 'International Guidelines' with no reference to national standards or health and safety regulations.

All applicants must:

Complete the irata application form submit one year's audited accounts (where applicable)
Agree to abide by the Memorandum & Articles of Association.
IRATA members are required to abide by a Code of Ethics and are subject to a strict audit by qualified independent inspectors to ensure that the Association's requirements of Quality Assurance, Safety, Training and Working Practices are being met.

Code of Ethics

Member firms undertake to respect the rules of professional behaviour. They must accept only tasks for which they possess or have access to the necessary competence and organisation and discharge their duties with complete fidelity.

Members will:

Accomplish each task solely in the legitimate interest of the client.
Carry out their tasks with all reasonable skill, care and diligence.
Refrain from treating with staff of clients or other member firms in order to induce them to enter their own service.
Inform the client of any links with the contractors, or other commercial interest which might make their professional impartiality suspect.
Respect and properly apply the laws, regulations, technical rules and accepted professional standards and must not accept contracts. Or instructions incompatible with such rules.
Respect the personal and professional dignity of employees, colleagues and other persons, and the various persons or entities with whom they deal.

Members will not:

Act so as to injure the professional reputation and prospects or business of another member firm or organisation.
Make exaggerated or unjustified claims.
Offer to make payment, by way of commission or otherwise, for the introduction of business except through accredited agents or brokers.