Safety Leaders - for safe work at height

Rope access, also known as industrial climbing or rope-based access method, is a safe, efficient, and cost-saving way to access areas that are difficult to reach using traditional methods like scaffolding.

Our rope access operators have the necessary experience, skills, and are certified according to NS9600, with some of our climbers additionally holding IRATA certification.

This access method allows you to reach high-risk areas in a safe and effective manner.

Rope access is often a highly cost-effective alternative to scaffolding, especially for short-term projects, long-distance movements, or when there is a risk of falling into the sea.

Rope access is not only a safe and affordable solution but also extremely flexible.

Our rope access operators have broad interdisciplinary skills and can perform tasks such as lifting operations (rigging), mechanical work (hot/cold work, flanges/bolts, assembly/disassembly), electrical work, inspections, surface treatment, concrete work, and blade repair.

Contact us today with your requirements.

HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) is a critical part of rope access, and our rope access operators are known for their high level of safety awareness.

They are often highlighted as ambassadors for good HSE practices on installations.

Although working at height involves risks, our strict risk management ensures that rope access is one of the safest ways to perform tasks at height.

At Safety Leaders, we set strict requirements for our operators to always strive to be the best in HSE.

A safety leader holds the ultimate responsibility for the safety of a rope access team, and is responsible for rescuing operators during complex operations. Safety leaders must develop extensive knowledge and skills through years of experience, which are tested through four levels of examination.

Recertification is required every three years through a 4-day course.

A skilled safety leader must have strong leadership skills and be able to plan and lead his team to the safe and successful completion of jobs at height.

In complex projects with concurrent operations, or when access is challenging, it may be necessary to have multiple safety leaders in the same rope access-team to ensure both safety and efficient execution of the job.

IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) and SOFT - (Samarbeids Organet For Tilkomstteknikk) (The Collaborating Body For Rope Access) are both highly recognized standards in rope access, but there are important differences that make SOFT particularly valuable in the Norwegian context.

SOFT, also known under the standard NS9600, is the most widely used standard on the Norwegian continental shelf and is specially adapted to Norwegian conditions and requirements.

It imposes very strict requirements for the certification and training of safety leaders.

To become a safety leader in the Soft system, one must have:

- Conducted training and experience over several years and through 4 levels.
- Logged a minimum of 1500 hours over a period of at least 3 years.
- Approved aspirant term over a minimum of one year with segments approved by a majority of safety leaders.
- Demonstrate good leadership skills and the ability to forge good relationships.
- High level of security awareness.
- Completed certification that must be renewed every 3 years through a 4-day recertification process.

These requirements ensure that SOFT safety leaders have deep expertise in safety and risk management, making them some of the best qualified in the industry. Safety Leaders has a significant proportion of certified safety leaders under the SOFT standard, demonstrating our strong expertise and commitment to safety.

IRATA, for its part, is an international standard with wide recognition globally. It also has strict safety requirements and offers three-level certification, with each level requiring extensive training and hands-on experience. IRATA is well suited for companies operating globally, but it can be more costly on the Norwegian continental shelf, for example due to the requirement for standby vessels when working over sea.

In terms of techniques, SOFT places great emphasis on specialized skills such as “leading”, an important technique for complex operations that is not as prominent in IRATA. This makes SOFT particularly suitable for Norwegian conditions, where the safety of operators and the environment is key.

Both standards offer a high level of safety, but SOFT is often more cost-effective and adapted to Norwegian operations, especially in offshore areas.

With Safety Leaders' focus on having the most security leaders within SOFT, we ensure that we deliver the best solutions in rope access and security for our customers.