E.T.H. a company specializing in work at height and difficult to access is made up of state-certified professionals capable of intervening where conventional means can no longer access.
Created in 2007 by two experienced rope access technicians. Over the years, the company has been able to diversify and acquire increasingly specialized know-how both in the technical approach to the missions entrusted to it and the security aspect of the means of access put in place. during our interventions.
Combining alpine techniques and experience in various trades, our experienced rope technicians, always looking for new techniques and anxious to maintain them permanently, can intervene on all terrains, at all altitudes and in all seasons, providing an alternative safer, less expensive and faster to set up than cranes, cradles and scaffolding.
The training, qualifications and experience of our staff allow us to meet most requests and carry out work in complete safety, rigor, speed and respect for the environment.
Each of our interventions requires specific preparation with the implementation of detailed operating methods and risk analysis specific to our interventions and the work environment around us. Specially trained staff are needed, knowing and mastering all the methodologies perfectly for setting up the equipment.
Harnesses, ropes, carabiners are our tools for progression.
What is rope access?
The IRATA International Rope Access System is a safe working method at height, where ropes and related equipment are used to gain access to and from the working position, and have support in the meantime with rope access companies.
The advantage of using rope access methods is the safety and speed with which workers can get to and from difficult points to carry out their work, often with minimal impact on other operations, neighboring areas, and the environment. Another important advantage is reducing the combined total person-hours and risk level for a specific task (man-at-risk hours) compared to other means of access and their associated risks and costs.
The main objective of rope access methods is to get the job done efficiently, with a minimum of accidents, incidents, or dangerous events. To ensure that a safe work system is maintained at all times while avoiding damage to property or the environment, detailed and documented planning risk studies are carried out for each operation.
IRATA International has a continuous and evolving regime of work processes that members must follow and monitored for compliance to ensure a safe work system is established and maintained. This differentiates IRATA International member companies from rope access companies that are not subject to this rigorous monitoring, controls, and strong Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme (TACS).
Like any other method of working at height, the rope access application should be viewed as a complete system, in which planning, management, competence, and proper equipment should be treated with equal importance, as each depends on the other to ensure a safe work system.
IRATA International Code of Practice (ICoP), gives recommendations and guides on the use of rope access methods in order to offer a safe working system to the properly trained reader (the parts should be read together, but in particular Part 1 with Part 2):
Part 1
• Fundamental principles and controls.
Part 2
• Offers more detailed guides following the previous part.
Part 3
• Annexes offering advice on the rope access aspect of related work practices and information on other relevant topics. (Some of these annexes are still in development).
Part 4
• Important national legislation.
Do you need to inspect suspension cables on a suspension bridge without closing off traffic? Cleaning the windows of a skyscraper? Or repair a wind turbine blade? Then you need to access the inaccessible and vertical access can be your solution.
Through the use of ropes, harnesses, lifts, and descenders, workers can safely access and position themselves to work effectively in hard-to-reach areas without the use of scaffolding, turntables, or aerial work platforms. Rope access allows workers to spend more time working and dramatically reduces setting up and taking down work platforms. Because of this, rope access reduces worker exposure time to fall hazards and allows work to be completed more efficiently, thus saving time and money. Rope access is used in many different industries, including; bridge and dam inspection, petrochemicals, tower climbing, wind power generation, building maintenance, window washing, slope stabilization, rock climbing, utility pipelines, entertainment rigging and many more.
Rope access means work carried out at height, using specialized techniques and equipment, using ropes as a means of progression and safety.
This type of work is popularly known as vertical work, although rope access techniques are applied in rescue and other tasks.
The main characteristics of these works are that they are carried out at height, in places that are difficult to access, and that ropes are used as a means of access and also as a means of security.
The vertical works have as premises:
Do not work alone.
Use two independent ropes (work rope and lifeline).
Connect the ropes to at least two independent anchor points.
Use two devices, one for progression and the other for safety.
