Rope access: reaching inaccessible areas in complete safety
Rope access is a progression and positioning technique that makes it possible to work on structures where neither scaffolding nor conventional work-at-height equipment is feasible or economically justified.
Building façades, civil engineering structures, pylons, masts or rock faces: wherever verticality prevails, rope access stands out as the most suitable solution. This technique, governed by strict regulations, requires specific equipment and certified training. At Kratos Safety, our range dedicated to rope access brings together all the PPE and accessories needed to equip rope access professionals in the best possible safety conditions.
The essential equipment for rope access
Rope access is based on a system with two separate ropes, mandatory in Europe since European Directive 2001/42/EC (in France, since the decree of 1 September 2004): a working rope, on which the technician positions themselves and moves, and a safety rope, connected to a mobile fall arrest device (sliding fall arrester). This redundancy is the cornerstone of the system's safety.The equipment making up a complete rope access kit includes:
- The suspension harness: designed for comfort during prolonged suspension, it incorporates suitable ventral and dorsal attachment points. It can be combined with a work seat to limit muscle fatigue during long operations.
- The descender: a descent control device allowing smooth, controlled progression on the working rope, with an integrated anti-panic locking function on professional models.
- The chest ascender: used together with a handled ascender and a foot loop, it allows progression on the working rope.
- The sliding fall arrester: used on the safety rope, it moves up automatically as the technician progresses and stops any involuntary fall.
- The working and safety ropes: low stretch ropes certified to EN 1891 (low elongation ropes), selected according to the nature of the rope progression devices and of the mobile fall arrest device.
- The connectors and karabiners: with automatic locking, certified to EN 362, providing the links between the different elements of the system.
Regulations and certification for rope access
In Europe, the use of rope access is governed by European Directive 2001/42/EC. Several conditions must be met in order to use it:
- The risk assessment must demonstrate that the work in question can be carried out safely and that the use of other, safer work equipment is not justified,
- Weather conditions must not compromise either the safety or the health of the workers,
- The work must be properly planned and supervised, so that assistance can be provided to the worker immediately in an emergency.
The workers concerned must have received specific training and must provide evidence of medical fitness to work at height.The equipment used is subject to several European standards: EN 358 for work positioning systems, EN 361 for full body fall arrest harnesses, and EN 12841 for rope adjustment devices. All Kratos Safety products dedicated to rope access are CE certified and supplied with the regulatory technical documentation.
Maintenance and inspection of rope access equipment
Rope access equipment is subject to intense mechanical stresses: friction, dynamic loads and exposure to external agents (UV, moisture, chemicals). A rigorous inspection and maintenance programme is essential.
- Visual inspection before each use: condition of the ropes (no damaged sheath, cut, burn, nick, tear, fraying, break or flattening, and so on), operation of the locking mechanisms, integrity of the connectors and of the harness stitching.
- Regular cleaning of mechanical devices (descenders, ascenders) with clean water to remove dust and abrasive residues likely to accelerate wear.
- Annual periodic examination by a competent person, in accordance with the regulations, with an inspection record being drawn up.
- Immediate disposal of any rope that has undergone a fall impact, that shows damage to the sheath, or whose origin and history are unknown.
The service life of the ropes and mechanical equipment is specified in each Kratos Safety product manual. It depends on the frequency of use, storage conditions, the environments encountered, and the results of periodic inspections.To complete your system, combine your rope access equipment with our anchor points certified to EN 795 and our fall arrest harnesses designed for prolonged suspension.
