Why Rope Access is Safer Than You Think
Article 1 | Safer, Smarter Access Series
This article is the first in our Safer, Smarter Access series, where we explore innovative, efficient, and safer methods for working at height across New Zealand. In this series, we’ll share insights, case studies, and practical lessons from the field to help businesses and workers make informed decisions about access solutions.
More Than a Thrill
When most people hear “rope access,” they picture thrill-seekers dangling off buildings with nothing but a rope. The reality couldn’t be more different. Rope access today is one of the most controlled, regulated, and safest ways to work at height, often safer than scaffolding, elevated work platforms (EWPs), or ladders.
I still remember the first time I watched a rope access crew descending the AIA building in Smales Farm, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, while I was managing a scaffolding install nearby. What took our team three days to scaffold, they completed in under one day. I was blown away, not just by the speed, but by how precise, clean, and unobtrusive their work looked. That moment challenged everything I thought I knew about working at height and set me on the path I’m on today: advocating for smarter, safer solutions like rope access.
Busting the Myths
Myth #1: Rope access is for adrenaline junkies
It’s not about thrill-seeking, it’s about control. Every rope, anchor, and movement is backed by systems designed to keep workers safe. Rope technicians are trained to anticipate hazards and manage risk long before it becomes an issue.
Myth #2: Rope access isn’t regulated
Rope access is a highly regulated profession with clear international and local standards:
AS/NZS 1891: Fall-arrest systems, harnesses, and anchors
IRATA International Code of Practice: Training, competence, and rescue
WorkSafe NZ & HSWA 2015: Define responsibilities for PCBUs, officers, and workers
This isn’t free climbing, it’s a controlled, accountable, and certified industry.
The Safety Built Into Rope Access
1. Redundant Systems for Maximum Protection
Every rope access technician uses two ropes, a primary working line and a secondary backup, plus certified harnesses and energy-absorbing devices. If one system fails, another already protects the worker.
During a Tauranga confined space entry, our secondary rope prevented a potential incident when the primary line was damaged by an event outside our control. Redundancy saves lives.
2. Rigorous, Tiered Training
Technicians don’t just learn to climb—they are trained in:
Advanced rigging and anchor selection
Rescue techniques for complex scenarios
Hazard recognition and safe systems of work
In New Zealand, this is formalized through the NZ Certificate in Industrial Rope Access (Levels 3 & 4). These qualifications meet local legislative and workplace requirements while reflecting international best practices, including IRATA principles. I’ve personally undergone both NZCIRA and IRATA training, and contributed to NZCIRA curricula and assessor guides, so I understand both systems and can attest to how rigorous and comprehensive the training really is.
3. Site-Specific Planning
No two jobs are the same. Before any technician clips in, we conduct a thorough site-specific assessment that covers every aspect of the work:
Identifying hazards: From structural risks and loose materials to weather conditions and public or worker interactions.
Choosing safe anchor points: Selected for strength, redundancy, and accessibility, often with multiple anchors as backup.
Developing a rescue plan: Tailored plans detail equipment placement, access routes, and team responsibilities to ensure rapid and safe response.
Planning work flow: The safest sequence of tasks minimizes exposure to risk and reduces disruption to ongoing operations.
This careful planning makes rope access predictable, controlled, and low-risk, even in challenging environments. On a recent Mount Maunganui project, this allowed us to complete inspections safely while the facility remained fully operational, demonstrating how good planning protects people and keeps projects efficient.
4. Continuous Supervision
Rope access work is never done in isolation. Supervisors monitor setup and ongoing operations in real-time, adjusting plans as conditions change. This proactive oversight ensures risks are managed continuously, contributing to rope access’s low incident rate.
I’ve seen this first-hand as a rope technician. Supervisors monitor teams, adjust anchor placements on the fly, and ensure rescue plans stay practical under changing conditions. This contrasts sharply with my earlier experience as a scaffolder on large construction sites, where the constantly shifting environment, weather changes, evolving site layouts, multiple teams, often led to planning failures. Many workers weren’t trained to assess risks or make informed real-time decisions, creating unsafe situations. Rope access integrates continuous supervision, ensuring every decision prioritizes safety.
On multiple projects, a supervisor’s mid-job intervention prevented potential incidents by re-evaluating anchor points or adjusting workflow, oversight that is often lacking on traditional scaffolding sites due to the large team sizes and overall higher exposure to heights.
Real-World Examples Across New Zealand
Beaumont Apartments, Mount Maunganui: Exterior painting completed in 3 weeks using rope access. Scaffolding would have taken months, with higher risk and disruption, especially given the large number of contractors that would have been required.
Devonport Naval Base Cliff Stabilisation, Auckland: 600+ anchors and 2,300 m² of mesh installed over fuel infrastructure, no scaffolding, minimal risk.
Kaikōura Earthquake Response, South Island: Secured transport corridors in unstable terrain, fast, safe, no heavy machinery.
Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness
Rapid Deployment: Rope systems rigged in hours vs. days/weeks for scaffolding.
Minimal Disruption: Facilities, roads, and business operations continue uninterrupted.
Cost Savings: Less labour, minimal equipment, reduced traffic management.
On a project last year in Tauranga, using rope access instead of scaffolding saved the client over $10,000.
Environmental Benefits
Minimal Footprint: Less fuel, fewer emissions, fewer heavy vehicles.
Preserving Sites: Heritage buildings, sensitive terrain, and public spaces remain undisturbed.
Applications Across Industries
Oil & Gas: Offshore platforms, tanks, and confined spaces—critical in Taranaki.
Construction & Building Maintenance: Façade inspections, window cleaning, painting—high-rise Auckland/Wellington.
Renewable Energy: Wind turbine inspections in remote or high-wind conditions.
Rescue Plans: The Final Safety Net
Even with all precautions, rope access doesn’t rely on luck. Every job has a site-specific rescue plan:
Team knows exactly what to do in an emergency
Rescue equipment is on-site and ready
Operators are trained for rapid response
Planning ensures confidence, even in extreme scenarios.
Final Thoughts
Rope access isn’t a stunt, it’s a professional, regulated, and highly controlled method of working at height. With dual systems, rigorous training, site-specific planning, and rescue readiness, rope access consistently delivers safer, smarter, and more efficient solutions than traditional methods.
From high-rise Auckland facades to remote wind farms and earthquake recovery sites, rope access protects people, preserves the environment, and keeps operations running smoothly.
After a decade working across New Zealand’s high-risk environments, I trust rope access not just for its practicality, but for how it safely gets the impossible done.
References
AS/NZS 1891: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices
IRATA International Code of Practice
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (NZ)
WorkSafe NZ: Managing risks of working at height
Author: Tre Hamera-Ozbolt, Boundless Founder