In plain terms: it's how you get to the tricky, high-up spots safely—hanging in a harness off two ropes instead of scaffolding, cranes or a cherry picker. More specifically it's called 'twin-rope' access, and it's a serious method for working at height that demands real competency from the person on the ropes. It's a special kind of work positioning system that uses proper equipment to keep you suspended and stop a fall. In other words: this isn't something you wing… it's a skill, and a valuable one.

IRATA is the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association. IRATA International has long been considered the world's leading authority in industrial rope access. From its inception in the early 1980s, the Association's primary objective has been the ongoing development of a safe system of work, allowing personnel to gain access to and from the work position and be supported there.

The advantage of using rope access methods mainly lies in the safety and speed with which workers can get to or from difficult locations 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 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.

An IRATA International qualification can provide work opportunities across many industry sectors: civil construction, oil and gas, power and petrochemical, the natural environment (such as geotechnical and mining), confined spaces, ground support engineering, renewable energy and more.

IRATA International has a comprehensive membership process across two primary categories: Operations and Training. Companies can hold individual membership in either sector, or both. IRATA requires that member companies work in accordance with the IRATA International Code of Practice (ICOP) and the Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme (TACS). By doing so, members contribute to maintaining the prized safety record of the Association —a record unmatched in the access industry. Members' operational safety records are submitted on a quarterly basis and independently audited on a three-yearly cycle, alongside internal audit and quality assurance requirements.

At AZM Solutions, our commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of our people is underpinned by the philosophy that no job is worth an injury and the belief that all injuries and work-related diseases are preventable. This ethos is carried into every IRATA International training course we run. Through a proactive approach to the continual reduction of risks to our personnel, the environment and assets, we are committed to achieving a zero-harm workplace.