FAQs

WHAT TIME DOES MY IRATA COURSE START?
IRATA International Courses run from 8am till 4.30pm each day.

ARE THERE ANY PRE-REQUISITES FOR IRATA TRAINING?

• Candidates shall be at least 18 years of age at the start of the course.
• Candidates should be physically fit and unaffected by any disability or medical condition that may prevent them from working safely. They shall ensure that they have an adequate level of fitness, are physically able to perform the tasks expected in terms of strength, agility and co-ordination, and are able to withstand the stresses of the working environment, such as heat, cold, and other inclement weather.
• Candidates are required to provide a declaration that they do not have any known medical disabilities or contraindications that may prevent them from working safely.
• If a candidate has a contra-indicated condition, he/she shall obtain a medical certificate before commencing any rope access activities.
• Candidates should consider their experience carefully before attempting to progress to a higher level. Candidates without appropriate competence, adequate pre-assessment training and knowledge of the syllabus are unlikely to meet the requirements.
• Candidates MUST bring their up-to-date logbook to the first day of training (new level 1’s exempt).

I ALREADY HAVE ROPE ACCESS EXPERIENCE; DO I HAVE TO START AT IRATA LEVEL 1?
Candidates with significant rope access experience logged outside the IRATA International system may be eligible for technician conversion.

Please contact us for more information about this accelerated entry procedure.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO CHANGE MY PERSONAL DETAILS?
You will be required by IRATA to provide sufficient evidence of any change in personal details. Please contact one of our registrations team and they will be able to help you. They can be reached at registration@irata.org

I’VE LOST MY LOGBOOK. WHAT HAPPENS TO MY HOURS?
If any rope access Technician loses their logbook, they should replace it immediately and, where possible obtain credible references to verify the hours they have lost.

Unverifiable hours cannot be considered towards an upgrade assessment.

Exisiting Technicians are unable to sit their IRATA course if they are unable to present an up-to-date IRATA LogBook on the first day of training.

I’VE LOST MY IRATA DOCUMENTATION, HOW DO I GET NEW COPIES?
If any rope access Technician loses their ID Card, Certificate or LogBook, they should replace it immediately.

Replacement documentation can be ordered direct from IRATA International by completing the Replacement Documents Form here.

I FAILED MY ASSESSMENT. HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO RETAKE?
Re-assessment shall take place within 60 days of the original assessment, after which candidates are required to attend a further training course in full.

At 5th Point, you are able to attend as many days training prior to sitting an additional assessment, free of charge. There is an additional fee for the Assessment only.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CERTIFICATE EXPIRES BEFORE MY ASSESSMENT?
Certificate expiry prior to re-validation may affect your eligibility to upgrade or re-certify. If your qualification expires, and you wish to upgrade – you must first re-validate your qualification.

Technicians may not practise as an IRATA rope access Technician without valid certification at all times.

Additional questions; please contact the office on 02 9939 6140

HOW DO I BECOME A TRAINEE INSTRUCTOR?
In order to become a trainee instructor, you need to be at least a Level 2 Technician. Eligible rope access Technicians should apply using the form “Application for Registration as an IRATA Trainee Instructor”, and send to registration@irata.org. Once the application has been accepted, you will be supplied with a uniquely numbered Trainee Instructor logbook. For further information please see TACS: Section 8.

If you are interested in joining 5th Points training team, please contact us training@5thpoint.com.au

HOW DO I BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR?
In order to become a full IRATA Instructor, you need to have met the requirements of TACs 8.4.1 (below):

8.4.1 Trainee Instructors must meet several criteria before they are eligible to apply for Instructor Status:

• Hold a current IRATA Level 3 certificate;
• Hold a current relevant first aid certificate;
• Have been witnessed to competently deliver all TACS syllabus items;
• Have at least 400 hours total logged experience delivering IRATA training courses;
• Successfully train (i.e. pass at assessment) at least 30 candidates including at least 6 candidates at each IRATA level;
• Maintain an overall pass rate of at least 60% of candidates;
• Attend at least one Instructor/ Assessor workshop per year;

An online examination will then have to be taken in order to become an instructor. For full details of this process please contact the office on training@5thpoint.com.au

MY DOCUMENTS HAVE INCORRECT INFORMATION, HOW CAN THIS BE AMENDED?
Please email registration@irata.org outlining the incorrect information and your details and IRATA will assist you.

AM I ALLOWED TO USE THE IRATA LOGO?
The IRATA Logo is a registered trademark. The IRATA logo is limited to the use by IRATA Member organisations and not for use by individual Technicians.

CAN A LEVEL 1 OR LEVEL 2 WORK ON SITE WITHOUT A LEVEL 3’S SUPERVISION?
Rope access technicians should work in teams of no fewer than two, one of whom should be a Level 3 rope access safety supervisor. Do not undertake rope access work alone.

Under the IRATA International Code of Practice, only Level 3 rope access technicians may be Rope Access Safety Supervisors.

Rope Access Safety Supervisors should be:

1. competent in supervisory skills;
2. competent in rope access techniques appropriate to the particular worksite and should understand the limitation of those techniques;
3. responsible for hazard identification and risk assessment for rope access related tasks;
4. competent in workmate rescue/retrieval techniques appropriate to each worksite and be able to organise and put into effect a workmate rescue/retrieval plan appropriate to that worksite.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT WORK ON ROPES FOR 6 MONTHS?
If rope access technicians are not using rope access techniques regularly, they should be evaluated for competence prior to the commencement of operational duties. Refresher training in particular techniques may be required and the amount of operational supervision necessary afterwards may need to be adjusted, depending on the outcome of the risk assessment.

If rope access technicians do not use rope access methods for a period of more than six months, they are required to undergo refresher training. The training should be appropriate for each individual and should be recorded in his or her logbook.

Refresher training:

1. shall be carried out by an IRATA International Level 3 rope access technician;
2. shall not be carried out during operational duties;
3. may involve the need to undergo a full training course.

WHO CAN SIGN AN IRATA LOGBOOK?
Logbook entries shall be countersigned by the supervising Level 3 rope access Technician. Under the heading Supervisor’s signature, all logbook entries shall be countersigned by the supervising Level 3 rope access Technician, who shall log their name (printed clearly), signature and IRATA International unique number.

Technicians that are not always able to obtain signatures from an IRATA Level 3 should have their hours signed by a person in authority who can verify that the hours are accurate and have been completed on a double rope system. The person approving the hours logged should print their name, position and leave a contact telephone number.

WHAT FIRST AID CERTIFICATE DO I REQUIRE?
First-aid certificates must be current and valid to cover all operational duties as defined by the employing company and must be in-line with national and regional legal requirements.

Within Australia and New Zealand; it is recommended that irrespective of what Level IRATA qualification you hold, that you also maintain a current First Aid qualification.

As a Level 3 employed by an IRATA Member Company, you must have an in-date and current First Aid and CPR.

CPR is recommended to be re-validated every 12 months.

First Aid is recommended to be re-validated every 3 years.

WHAT COUNTS AS ONE YEARS’ EXPERIENCE BETWEEN ASSESSMENTS?
A Technician is eligible for upgrade on the calendar date, one year plus one day, from the date of their previous assessment e.g. following a Level 1 assessment on the 1st April 2022, the earliest possible Level 2 assessment is the 2nd April 2023.

HOW MANY DAYS AFTER TRAINING CAN A TECHNICIAN HAVE TO TAKE AN ASSESSMENT?
No longer than 60 days may lapse between completing a training course and assessment. Evidence of training must be presented to the training member company prior to assessment.