SGS offers industrial rope access
19/05/2009
Inspectors working for SGS Industrial Services who are serving the energy, oil & gas or industrial manufacturing sectors often face hard-to-reach locations in the course of their work. SGS now offers industrial rope access for testing and inspection of structures, structural surveys and conventional and advanced NDT.Industrial rope access is a form of work positioning developed from techniques used in caving. It solves difficult access problems, without using scaffolding, cradles or mobile elevated work platforms.
The rope access worker works from two ropes – a working rope and a back-up, safety rope – and is permanently attached to both. Each rope has a separate anchorage point. In the unlikely event of the working rope becoming damaged or unusable, the safety rope prevents a fall.
All SGS technicians receive extensive training and independent assessment and are required to undergo re-training every three years. The equipment used is regularly inspected and well maintained. All SGS rope access training and operational work is conducted in line with International Guidelines. SGS is also a member of IRATA – the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association.
Compared to conventional accessing methods for inspection and testing, rope access can be completed more quickly, thus saving costs by reducing working hours. Additionally, as it minimises disruption at ground level, it often allows work to continue during inspection.
"I am proud to introduce this new service within the global network of SGS Industrial Services and I am looking forward to working on interesting projects," said Andrew Johnston, SGS Industrial Rope Access Operations Manager.
www.sgs.com/rope-access
