Rope access work necessitates strict adherence to safety requirements and regulations to ensure worker safety. These include the development of a safe work plan, hazard assessments, proper worker training, and the use of appropriate fall protection systems and emergency procedures.

A rope access safe work plan is crucial when a worker may fall 3 meters or more, or if there is an unusual possibility of injury from a fall of less than 3 meters. This plan must be available at the work site before work begins and should specify:

• The hazards associated with the work.
• How these hazards will be eliminated or controlled.
• The rope access system to be used.
• Procedures for assembling, maintaining, inspecting, and disassembling the rope access system.
• The names and duties of the work team members.
• The required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• An emergency response plan. [2]

A hazard assessment must be conducted at the work site, and safe work practices must include the use of work positioning systems and fall protection systems. Workers must be trained in hazard recognition, equipment selection and limitations, and the proper operation, inspection, and maintenance of equipment and PPE. [1]

Emergency procedures must be in place to address equipment malfunctions, falls, or injuries that leave a worker suspended and requiring rescue. Workers must be trained in the rope access safe work plan, safe work practices, and the safe use of the rope access system before being allowed to work in an area where such a system is used. [1] [1]

Additional requirements include:

• Ensuring equipment used during rope access work is not suspended from the worker's working line or safety line.
• Suspending equipment weighing more than 8 kilograms from a separate line secured to a suitable anchorage.
• Verifying that all components of the rope access system are compatible with each other and the environment.
• Inspecting components of the rope access system before each work shift and re-certifying them as specified by the manufacturer.
• Maintaining components free from substances and conditions that could cause deterioration.
• Ensuring the working line and safety line are the same diameter. [1] [1] [1] [1] [1]

For industrial rope access work, employers must follow specific safe work practices, such as those published by the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians, or the Australian Rope Access Association. At least 2 workers trained in industrial rope access work must be present when rope access equipment and techniques are used. [5] [5]

A worker performing industrial rope access work must maintain a personal logbook containing a record of the work performed, including the date, type of work, structure worked on, and hours worked using rope access techniques. The logbook must be current, available for inspection, and verified and signed by the rope access supervisor or worksite manager. [4] [4] [4] [4]

Rope access systems for industrial rope access work must:

• Limit the maximum arresting force on a worker to 6 kilonewtons.
• Prevent the worker from striking a lower surface.
• Minimize the hazards of swinging and striking an object. [4]

Anchors for industrial rope access systems must have an ultimate breaking strength of at least 16 kilonewtons per worker attached. If this is not feasible, an anchor with an ultimate breaking strength of 2 times the estimated maximum arresting force may be used. [4] [4]

A safety, secondary, belay, or backup line is required when the working line is the primary means of support, each with separate anchorage connections to the worker's harness. Workers must be trained to perform self-rescue, and be promptly rescued in case of equipment malfunction, fall, or injury. [4] [4] [5] [5]

When performing non-industrial rope access work:

• The rope system must limit the fall factor on a worker to 1.78, unless doing so exposes the worker to other greater hazards.
• The system must prevent the worker from striking a lower surface that could cause injury, unless doing so exposes the worker to other greater hazards.
• The system must minimize the hazards of swinging and striking an object that could injure the worker. [3]

Anchors used for non-industrial rope access work must have an ultimate breaking strength of at least 16 kilonewtons per worker attached. If this is not practicable, an anchor with an ultimate breaking strength per attached worker of 2 times the estimated maximum arresting force may be used. [3] [3]

Workers involved in training for occupational rope access work or performing occupational rope access work may use alternative equipment, PPE, and practices than those specified. Similarly, workers involved in emergency rescue services or training may also use alternative equipment, PPE, and practices. [2] [2]

Note: This Part does not apply to workers using fall protection systems specified in Part 9. [2]