We often receive a bunch of questions regarding what it’s going to be like to go through class as a level 1 candidate. “What do I need to bring?”, “What can I expect?”, and “Is this going to be difficult?” are a few of the more common ones. I’m going to dedicate this article to answering these and other questions regarding Level 1 training.

Let’s start with the pre-requisites. As a level 1 candidate you don’t need any experience. You’ll get that during class. You have to be physically fit and free from uncontrolled contra-indications which could affect your ability to hang in a harness for a period of time. “Contra-indications” is just a fancy term for health concerns. We don’t need to know what the health issue may be, we just want to confirm that these concerns are addressed and controlled by a medical physician. Examples include diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy. You also need to be at least 18 years of age.

Registering for our classes is pretty easy, just call us or register online. There are two main certifying bodies, SPRAT and IRATA. You or your employer will choose which scheme you will be trained and certified to. Oftentimes we have students who are training for certification under both schemes. We call this a Dual registration.

There is usually a period of time in between a registration and the start of a course. You should use this time to begin educating yourself about rope access. I don’t recommend watching a bunch of YouTube videos; you may get confused. These videos may teach techniques differently than the methods used by our training staff.  We would rather you begin to study the guidance issued by the certifying body for which you seek certification. These documents are freely available on our website and through SPRAT or IRATA. Just click either of these links and you’ll have the information.

You’ll also be encouraged to create a user account on our website when you register. I highly recommend you do, because most of the information you’ll ever need for your rope access career will be waiting for you. All in one convenient place. You’ll also receive advanced notice of sales and special events.

Rope access is physically demanding. You just won’t be ready for the experience until you start to do it. Technique is the first thing you’ll focus on in our course. You’ve got to have decent technique before you start doing the exercises. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself exhausted. So, technique first. I’m going to try to drop a few hints in so that they might come back to you as you learn technique.

1. Climb straight up. This seems pretty easy, but it usually is not. Your center of gravity is a bit different when you wear a rope access harness. It tends to be lower than what you’re accustomed to. As a result, your torso is going to be leaning backwards instead of being in line with your feet.
2. The solution is to use your legs to push yourself up the rope while you use your arms to pull your upper body closer to the rope. Most level 1 candidates try to pull themselves up with their arms. This puts tremendous strain on the ligaments in your elbow, leading to muscle strains, tennis elbow and other ailments.
3. Changing over from ascent mode to descent mode, or vice-versa, can be very tiring. The best thing I can coach you to do is to move your left hand up the rope as you stand up in your footloop. You’ll want the arm fully extended. This motion will preserve your arms and prevent injury.
4. Take it slow. People come in different sizes and shapes, each with their own methods of learning. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t “get it” by Monday evening. Many candidates won’t. A more realistic goal is that you begin to have those aha! moments Tuesday evening or Wednesday.

This class is most likely the hardest you’ll have to work in rope access. Not only is it physical, but there is a mental aspect you need to keep in mind. You’ll be learning things very quickly, and you’ll be expected to read a bunch of stuff. That’s why I suggest you take the time before the class begins to start this important activity. We have written a training manual designed to guide you through your career. So, You Want to be a Rope Access Technician was written for the industry. We’ve tried to distill the most important elements you’ll need at any level for any certification into an easy to read and understand guide. It will be available through your online profile at www.accessrules.com.

After 4 or 5 days of mentally and physically exhausting work, you’ll have the opportunity to do everything you’ve done through the week, in one day! It’s called Certification Day. We’ll bring in a professional who is independent from our company and students, who is authorized to grade each student consistent with the requirements for the scheme and level of technical ability which is being sought by the student.

SPRAT and IRATA each have their own requirements for certification. You can expect to take a written test and perform each practical exercise. We don’t expect you to be perfect on Certification Day, and neither does SPRAT or IRATA. Each scheme has provisions for the issuance of discrepancies or minor infractions, which highlight mistakes you make while performing tasks. You are allowed two throughout the Certification Day. The third will constitute a failed certification attempt.

Which brings me to an important part of training. It’s ok to fail. Not all students successfully earn their certification on their first attempt. Some just lose their focus and make a mistake while some forget how to do an exercise. Others just need more practice. It’s not the end of the world if you aren’t successful on your first attempt. Talk to your trainers, they’ll help you understand if you’re ready for a certification attempt. If you’re not, they’ll help sort out a schedule where you can try again.

The biggest piece of advice I can give a level 1 candidate is to ask questions. You’ll learn more and retain more when you do so. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, and our trainers are all about giving you as much as you need.  I know, I know. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. Be prepared, read your material. If you do, you’ll know what questions to ask. Don’t be shy – this is your career, go after it!

I hope you have a great time in one of our courses. We care deeply about each of our students and want to give them the best. But the students are going to have to work hard, too. Let us know how we can help. That’s why we’re here!