Lots of things, but here are the ones that will affect you the most.

• SPRAT requires 500 hours gained over 6 months of experience to be eligible for upgrade. IRATA requires 1000 hours gained over 12 months to be eligible for upgrade. 
• IRATA requires worksite supervision to be certified to their Level 3 standard, SPRAT allows either Level 2 or 3 certified technicians to be assigned supervisory responsibilities.
• IRATA requires each Candidate to complete a rope access course consisting of 30 hours of tuition over a 4 day period. SPRAT requires each Candidate to sign an affidavit which affirms they have received sufficient training by a competent trainer.

You’ll have to attend a class for more differences!

Tough one. It really depends on whether you are working for a company who employs SPRAT or IRATA technicians. If it were me, I’d choose both so I am more employable.

Easy! Just select a class from our calendar and click register. From there you’ll be registered for the class you’ve selected at the location of your choice. We’ll get in touch with more information and a request for you to pay a deposit. 

Our classes usually run Monday through Friday. Sometimes our classes begin on Tuesday and go through Saturday. That often depends on the availability of our Evaluators or Assessors. You’ll always receive at least 4 days of training followed by a day for the Certification attempt.

Not much. We suggest you bring a light lunch and some electrolytes such as Gatorade or Pedialyte, we have a couple of fridges. We’ll supply all of the equipment, so don’t bring any of yours. Please read this document for more information. 

You’ll have worked hard during training and now it’s time to attempt a certification. You can expect to be tired, but if you’ve taken care of yourself during the week (rehydrate, maybe some anti-inflammatories and rest), then you’ll be alright. Rope access is a physical activity but it can do things to your mind as well. Our training centers in New Orleans and Houston are air conditioned so we try to prevent some of the lasting effects of dehydration and fatigue. Just do your best and you should be fine.

It’s not the end of the world. Oftentimes, Candidates will get some much needed time to rest and recuperate and will fly through their next certification attempt. We’ll put you in contact with Alysha or Joaquina to schedule another attempt and possibly additional days of training if needed.

First, make sure your logbook is in order. IRATA requires all Candidates wishing to renew or upgrade their certification to submit their logbook before they are approved to attend a class. Your logbook should be up to date and all reported hours should be signed by an appropriate person. Secondly, you should read this article. Lastly, attend a course and have a blast!

Easy peasy. Both SPRAT and IRATA certifications expire after three years, so plan for your upgrade or renewal early. There is a whole procedure if you let your IRATA certification expire, depending upon how long it’s been expired prior to upgrade or renewal. SPRAT is a bit more lax, but you’ll have to do all the requirements at the lower levels, too!

Your credentials belong to you. We’ll send the credentials to the person or organization who paid for the course. It will be their responsibility to forward them to you. Check with your employer prior to attending the course to understand their process.

SPRAT logbooks are available at any of our offices for $20. Or, if you’re not near us, you can order one from SPRAT by clicking here.

IRATA logbooks can be ordered through us by filling out this form and returning it to us. Or, if you prefer to do it yourself, you can order a replacement from the website by clicking here.