Industrial rope access approach in the inspection and maintenance management of bridges

摘要

Industrial rope access is a work positioning technique. It uses a working and back up safety rope line as a principal form of suspended system for working at height. Its early introduction came from operatives with climbing, caving, mountaineering and military skills. It is now an established and regulated form of access. Since the formation of the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) in 1987, collaboration with organisations in United Kingdom (UK) and internationally has produced working standards, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice which contribute to the enviable safety track record of industrial rope access. The aim of the paper is to review some of the access methods for working at height with the aim of outlining the benefits of using industrial rope access independently or in combination with the other methods for light to medium tasks and any future research.