Rope Access Industry Associations may provide many benefits for an emerging industry which needs a policy and regulatory framework, struggles for recognition in its own right, lacks a voice and above all battles to unify all the stakeholders .
Membership in an industry association offers numerous benefits:
- the networking and camaraderie that occurs among members;
- a unified industry voice on policy legislation and regulatory issues;
- a collective ability to influence the market;
- access to seminars, conferences and association events;
- access to industry specific information, technical briefings and Codes of Practice;
- members-only offers and related marketing benefits; and
- the security of operating within a market respected collective.
The contrary considerations for association membership are:
- the time taken to reach a unified decision due to conflicting interests;
- the Association and its Committees tend to be dominated by the biggest players
- industry wide responses to events let really poor performers off the hook; and
- operating and running the organisation requires time resources and money.
Rope Access Trade Associations in Australia
There are two rope access trade associations currently operating in Australia which have some common goals but they also have some significant differences especially in respect to membership conditions, operating standards and compliance, market position/reach and industry objectives. The combined company membership of the two associations represents less than an estimated 25% of all rope access companies currently operating in Australia.
Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, IRATA, International.
Australian IRATA member companies which currently number 38 and employ over 2,000 rope access technicians are part of a worldwide trade association. Full details on IRATA International are available at https://irata.org/
The international membership comprises over 400 companies and has grown spectacularly in the last two decades with over 120,000 trained technicians registered since the establishment of the association.
Irata Australia Incorporated.
Irata Australia is currently an incorporated association based and registered in Queensland. The membership is considering registration as a national association to greater reflect the reality of its activity, membership, operations and goals.
Irata based member companies belong to a significant range of industry associations which reflects the memberships activity and interests.
Significantly many of the member companies are Australian subsidiaries of large international organisations which again illustrates the diversity of operation and activity. A large number of the member companies are also certified to international standards such as ISO 9001, OSHAS 18001, ASNZ 4801 and ASNZ 14001.
Australian Rope Access Association, ARAA.
The Australian membership comprises 15 companies which employ over 400 rope access technicians. The association is Australian based and further details are available at https://www.araa.net.au
The Issues confronting the Industry
Industry Recognition and ABS employment Category
In Australia, a Rope Access Technician is not recognised as an employment category in its own right.
There are good reasons for this not the least being that rope access technicians are:
- A relatively modern phenomenon as trained technician numbers have skyrocketed in the last decade to the extent that there are now estimated to be 7,000+ rope access operators in the country.
- Rope Access operators are often working as other trade classifications such as engineers, plumbers ,welders, riggers, scaffolders, NDT technicians, electricians , painters, artificers, fitters, cleaners who use rope access as a work positioning means rather than the primary work activity.
- Until recently, the industry associations have had only a limited ability to influence policy and regulatory decision makers at Safework Australia and Standards Australia SF15.
Therefore it is unsurprising that the ABS groups rope access technicians under the broad category of Minor Group 399.
Minor Group 399 Miscellaneous Technicians and Trades Workers
This minor group covers Technicians and Trades Workers not elsewhere classified.
It includes Boat Builders and Shipwrights; Chemical, Gas Petroleum and Power Generation Plant Operators; Gallery, Library and Museum Technicians; Jewellers; Performing Arts Technicians; and Signwriters.
Indicative Skill Level:
Most occupations in this minor group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.
In Australia:
- AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma, or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 2); or AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV, or at least three years of relevant experience
- (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)
The concern for many rope access operators and companies is that this lack of classification has an effect on recognition of the operator from a remuneration, training, and award perspective particularly if the technician operates across different trade sectors .
This is particularly relevant given the Irata International initiative to be accredited to ISO 17024 (Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons) and for Irata Trainers, Assessor or Auditors who are pivotal to the certification process.
The extension of this anomaly to the employer group is that without a designation there is no policy basis for the designation of an employment award or recognition as an industry in its own right.
Industry Standards, Codes of Practice or Regulatory Framework
In Australia there is no specific Legislation or Regulation which details the conditions and standards applicable to rope access activity. The only applicable Acts and Regulations are generic sections of the Work Health and Safety 2011 Act enacted in each State. The industry Standards are contained in AS NZ 4488 Industrial Rope Access which deals primarily with techniques and operating equipment.
The rope access user Standards AS 4488 Parts 1 and 2 (1997) are considered by the Australian rope access fraternity (IRATA and ARAA) to be obsolete. The rope access industry associations have requested to have the Standard made obsolete and replaced with the adoption of ISO 22846.
The only relevant Code of Practice is the Safe Work at Heights that lacks any real depth on operations, management , compliance, accreditation or safety requirements for rope access.
Currently in Australia the only references which have any depth, accreditation and independent verification are the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association’s (IRATA) International Code of Practice and the ISO 22846-2 Rope Access Code of Practice.
These references are potentially the basis of consideration for the future development of an Australian Code of Practice or industry guidelines
What the Industry needs.
As Rope Access is an unregulated work activity, there is a lack of knowledge by Persons Conducting a Business Undertaking (PCBU) as to what codes of practice, administrative or regulatory matters are relevant to rope access work.
A suggested framework for the industry is:
- Developing a regulatory framework or Industry Guidelines for Rope Access work activity;
- Implementation of a mandatory Rope Access Industry Code of Practice which is subject to audit or accreditation by competent third party;
- The inclusion of Rope Access as a high risk work activity and subject to the licence requirements under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011;
- Implementation of a requirement for Rope Access operators to renew their certificate of competency every three years; and
- Mandatory Emergency/Rescue Planning for Rope Access onsite each day.
Conclusion
Where operators are appropriately trained, their work practices are subject to critical review and a Code of Practice is applicable, it is an extraordinarily effective means of work in inaccessible places. As support for the last statement, we attach a copy of the recent IRATA Work Safety Report 2016 that demonstrates that Rope Access is a very safe activity when managed and operated correctly.
The challenge in Australia is to unify, standardise practices and encourage professionalism among all of the industry participants.
