r/ropeaccess

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently obtained my IRATA Level 1 + GWO Basic Technical Training (BTT). I don’t have any previous experience working on wind turbines, but I do have experience in industry, surface preparation, etc.

I’m currently looking for work around Europe, and a company has shown interest in my profile. They told me they urgently need workers for a blade repair project in Germany.

However, they say I need an OGUK/OEUK medical certificate. I had never even heard of this before. The company sent me a link to an English company called Marine Medical Services, where I can supposedly get the medical done online and pay for it myself.

I have a few questions:

• Does this sound legitimate?
• Has anyone here had a similar experience?
• Is it normal for a company to require the worker to pay for the OGUK/OEUK medical themselves?
• What exactly is the OGUK/OEUK medical for?
• From what I understand, it is mainly intended for offshore work, is that correct?
• Would it make sense for a wind turbine blade repair project in Germany, especially if the work is onshore?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have worked in wind energy, rope access or offshore.

Thanks!

Hi rope people.
I'm trying to build a z-drag recovery system with the main goal being smallest pack size possible, and second goal being light weight.
So far, this is what I have.

Rope- 65' Petzl RAD LINE 6mm
Pulley #1- Petzl Nano Traxion (has progress capture)
Pulley #2- Petzl Oscillante
Anchor straps x2
Carabiners x2

This z-drag system will be used for solo remote dirt bike trail riding in the unlikely scenario a bike crashes off the trail and goes down a steep embankment.
Dirt bike will weigh either ~250lbs or ~325lbs depending on which bike I'm riding that day.

I think rope selection will be my bulkiest item in the system and I haven't found much for progress capture pulleys that accept less than 7mm rope. And even the Nano Traxion is rated at 7-11 mm rope but Petzl says it will work with their 6mm RAD LINE. So I don't think I can go much smaller than that 6mm RAD LINE, unless someone has a better solution.

US small suburban fire department out drilling tonight. The drill was to lift a heavy weight off an entrapped patient. We had two scenarios: a large concrete block on one patient and a 800# snow blade on another patient. The key was to use various tools on our apparatus such as high-pressure airbags, hydraulic spreaders, bars as levers, cribbing etc.

I turned around and found a Sr officer using an aluminum tripod (similar to CMCs SKED-EVAC INDUSTRIAL TRIPOD) and static rope in a 5:1 MA configuration to lift one side of the plow off the patient (not the full 800# raise - maybe 500 as a guess). While I identified 2 other major use errors with the tripod, what I have no reference to is using 9000 pound rated static line in a 5:1 mechanical advantage to perform an equipment lift. If I use the 15:1 safety ratio, that’s 600 pounds of lift. The Sr Officer reported that the “safety ratio doesn’t matter in this case as we’re not lifting patients/rescuers”. I had never heard that statement like that before and I had never seen a department purposefully lift hard equipment using life safety rope. Quick perusal of NFPA and CMC gave me no additional clarity.

Hopefully someone here can educate me one way or another. Happy to be wrong.

Thx

Has anybody used these? What are everyone's thoughts? They're strong and ANSI rated. But they're so thin, they just look insubstantial.

Hello there, i am 18 from vancouver canada, i just got my first aid (OFA) Level 1 and am on my way to get fall protection done. After that me and a friend are getting a dual certification for irata and sprat.

I have worked a steady job throughout my senior year and year out of high school but have not had much trades experience, but i’ve worked with tools for a long time.

I want to hope that my certifications, skills, and care for safety is enough to get a fair shot at a long time career. I plan to become a NDT technician in the coming years but as of right now i just need to transition to a basic lvl 1 job so i can pay bills.

I know there is a lot of work around my area, window washing, maintenance and inspections, caulking, a lot of these companies seem to have alot of openings i just don’t want to get these tickets, search for work for months and months and now i have to take a refresher course, would be a nightmare.

If anyone has advice anything is appreciated!

Got my pp slapped today, I have about 1000h as a lvl 1. I load shared a drop set putting two crabs through two barrel knots to gain height. No good?

Remove the grip tape off of that bastard so it doesn't cut our accessory cord.

Tie some knots and shit and you're done. Full send.

These petzl harnesses are killing me so I figured I'd make a cheap footboard so I can relieve some tension off of my sides while I'm in the air. Here's a how to.

It's a bit of a play on an old rope technique I learned in my younger days. If your legs or hips hurt put on your hand ascender and stand up you get a few seconds of relief. This, when connected to your carabineer on your descend will always be available and keep you from having to remove the hand ascender to move down. It will always be available for you to use if things aren't sitting right.

I'd prefer better cord than paracord but this was a Walmart build. Not like monarch is in Brownsville.

Get a cheap shitty skateboard and rip the trucks off of it.

hi guys

I recently just passed my lvl 1 irata so now I’m looking at jobs in the uk and nz.

i have a working holiday visa for nz valid until 02/02/2027 (6ish months away) so could anyone advise me on whether in this type of work that, I go out there with just the level 1 cert and try get work out there or, if I get a few months work here in the uk to get some xp under my belt? Or is that too short for the companies that might hire me?

also does anyone have any info on geotech work out there? as that’s what I’d prefer to go into.

cheers lads

I am a current IRATA assessor and instructor, with brittish citizenship and was just dabbling with the idea of some travel. Maybe only for a year or two but how likely would I be to get some work instructing and assessing in the USA. I've never been and keep getting told different things about thw likely hood of having working rights approved over there.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

I can see use for aid climbing and have been on many jobs were the client wants anchors removed where someone does a hack job at removing a plate and grinding a bolt. I can why you may not use these as there is a lot of trust put into the installer. lv 3's, if you are a small crew, would you install and use them yourself?

Say I want to shorten a highly specialized Mammut Magic climbing sling. Is there some kind of tailor I can go to for this?