This portion of your SPRAT evaluation is relevant to all levels. Every technician must understand their responsibility to themselves, the work site, and their team. Each level plays an important role on the job site, and your Evaluator will be checking to make sure that you understand how your role contributes to a safe and efficient rope access program.
A rope access program outlines how the work you've been commissioned for should be performed and follows the requirements of the most recent Safe Practices for Rope Access Work Documents.
L1 and L2 techs should have a working understanding of the rope access program and its related policies and procedures. Your training, experience and qualifications should allow you to easily follow your supervisors instructions for completing your assigned tasks -- this includes the ability to rig a simple structural and load sharing anchor system, as well as potentially execute a standard rescue procedure.
A Rope Access Lead Technician (L2 tech) might also be allowed to supervise other rope techs, as long as they are themselves under the immediate direction of a L3 tech. Your supervisor will only assign you this responsibility if they feel you're competent enough to handle all work variables related to this role, and that you could carry out all rescue procedures outlined in the site specific Rescue Plan.
A Rope Access Supervisor (L3 tech) is responsible for the immediate supervision, implementation and oversight of the rope access program at the work site. You should have a working knowledge of the current regulations that apply, directly or indirectly, to rope and working at height, and be able to ensure your team follows these regulations. You are responsible for the quality of the work being performed, and for the safety and well being of all the techs working on their assigned rope access program.
Please note that ALL LEVELS have the authority to stop work at any time if something feels unsafe. L1 and L2 techs are also responsible for letting their Supervisor know if an assigned task or responsibility falls beyond their training, skills, qualifications, or experience level.
On assessment day, your SPRAT evaluator will assess your knowledge in these areas through a written test and by observing your performance throughout the field practical evaluation. L2 and L3 techs may also be required to participate in a group exercise.
Here's a Roles and Responsibilities Breakdown
Requirements taken from sections 6-8 of Safe Practices for Rope Access Work.
Work Site
- L1 techs are responsible for understanding applicable work permits and job safety analyses. L2 techs should additionally be able to follow the requirements of the above documents.
- L1 and L2 techs should be capable of identifying work zones such as the access zone and the hazard zone.
Before work begins, L3 techs are responsible for:
- Completing all required planning and documentation, including work permits, job safety analyses, and rescue plans as directed by the Rope Access Program Administrator.
- Conducting job site safety meetings with all affected personnel regarding applicable work permits, job safety analyses, rescue plans, or any other relevant information.
L3 techs are also responsible for:
- Identifying work zones and ensuring that these zones are appropriately marked. You should be able to verify that adequate measures have taken to keep other personnel and the public out of any affected areas.
- Documenting and validating employee rope access hours in the manner prescribed by the Rope Access Program Administrator.
System of Work
- L1 techs are responsible for inspecting and verifying the integrity of anchor systems and their components.
- L2 techs should be able to construct, inspect, and analyze safe rope access systems.
- L1 and L2 techs must be able to understand and communicate using written and verbal signals -- usually these communications are decided on by the team as part of a potential rescue plan, but they also have many other uses.
L3 techs are responsible for:
- Regularly reviewing all procedures (especially as work site activities change) to determine if additional practices, procedures, or training is necessary for members of your team before work can either start or continue.
- Directing the efforts of other technicians to ensure safety and compliance with the rope access program.
Hazards
- L1 and L2 techs are responsible for recognizing and immediately notifying their Rope Access Supervisor of any work site hazards.
- L2 techs are additionally responsible for taking corrective measures to eliminate or control those hazards.
- L3 techs are responsible for Identifying any and all hazards that employees may potentially come in contact on an assigned rope access project, and specifying how those hazards could either be controlled or eliminated before work begins. They also need to ensure that their specifications have been followed through on with corrective action.
Equipment
- L1 and L2 techs are responsible for inspecting, maintaining, caring for and storing their own personal protective equipment (PPE).
- L2 techs are additionally responsible for adjusting relevant PPE.
- Both L1 and L2 techs are also responsible for correctly using the PPE that has been assigned to them by their supervisor (see first point below).
L3 techs are responsible for:
- Specifying which PPE is appropriate for other employees on the work site to use, and ensuring that all employees are properly trained in how to use their PPE, and use it as required by the manufacturers instruction.
- Specifying which rope access equipment, systems and system components are appropriate for use, and supervise their installation, use, and inspection.
- Removing any damaged or potentially damaged equipment (including tools) from service, until it is established that they are safe to use.
- Ensuring that all equipment used on the work site is maintained in a safe condition and protected from neglect-based damage.
Rescues
- L1 techs should be familiar with rescue procedures and systems used by the employer, and be able help execute a rescue from rope access systems.
- L2 should be able to perform all standard rescue procedures used by the employer for the specific work environment.
L3 techs are responsible for:
- Communicating and coordinating with clients and their safety representatives, and other contractors on the work site where appropriate, regarding rope access safety and rescue procedures.
- On-site rescue of on-rope personnel. This includes:
- Ensuring that a prompt rescue is possible from any possible situation/position a technician could find themselves.
- Managing or performing any required rescue.
- Specifying which rescues may be necessary for the project during pre-planning.
- Performing or managing initial emergency care -- only what is within the scope of the L3 techs training.
- Verifying that the necessary emergency services are available, including emergency medical services and ancillary rescue services (when applicable), and that the equipment they need to contact them is working properly.
- Coordinating with the provider of the ancillary rescue capability if their services are potentially needed.
A quick note about delegation for L3 techs...
On the worksite, L3 techs can assign a duty or responsibility to other qualified personnel, but will still retain primary responsibility for ensuring that the assigned task is accomplished and performed correctly.
L3 techs can also perform L1 and/or L2 responsibilities as long as doing this does not distract or prevent them from performing their own duties.
We’ll go into further detail on all of this during your training week.
Additional resources to check out:
Section 7 of the SPRAT Evaluation Guidelines for more information on what's required for the written test portion of the evaluation. This relates to all levels.
L1 Techs (Rope Access Workers)
- 7.1 (section 11) of the SPRAT Evaluation Guidelines for L1 sub-requirements and evaluation instructions related to understanding your 'roles and responsibilities.'
- 7.1 of the SPRAT Certification Requirements for a concise L1 evaluation summary for this requirement.
- Section 8 of Safe Practices for Rope Access Work for a comprehensive breakdown of all your responsibilities.
L2 Techs (Rope Access Lead Technicians)
- 8.3 (section 11) of the SPRAT Evaluation Guidelines for L2 sub-requirements and evaluation instructions related to understanding your 'roles and responsibilities.'
- 8.3 of the SPRAT Certification Requirements for a concise L1 evaluation summary for this requirement.
- Section 7 of Safe Practices for Rope Access Work for a comprehensive breakdown of all your responsibilities.
L3 Techs (Rope Access Supervisor)
- 9.3 (section 11) of the SPRAT Evaluation Guidelines for L3 sub-requirements and evaluation instructions related to understanding your 'roles and responsibilities'.
- 9.3 of the SPRAT Certification Requirements for a concise L1 evaluation summary for this requirement.
- Section 6 of Safe Practices for Rope Access Work for a comprehensive breakdown of all your responsibilities.
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This is part of an ongoing series, where we’re breaking down the SPRAT Syllabus and clarifying exactly what will be expected of you on your evaluation day. To continue exploring this series and learn more about SPRAT's Technician Evaluation Form, please click below: