Rope Access (SPRAT)

Rope access provides a safe, cost-effective, and efficient means of access, egress, and positioning for work at height. So whether you are a building, bridge or dam inspector, an engineer, a window washer, a rock scaler, a tower climber or a theatrical rigger, adding a SPRAT® certification to your toolbox will help improve jobsite safety, efficiency and offers the added credibility that comes with a rigidly administered third party evaluation. This four-day course provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to pass the SPRAT® certification session that is held on the fifth day of the course by an independent SPRAT® Evaluator.

Course Instructors

Jeffrey Bowles photo

Jeffrey Bowles

Training Manager

Jeff Bowles is a Lead Instructor for Vertical Rescue Solutions. He has been a lead instructor in Industrial and Recreational vertical environments for 20+ years. Jeff holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Development from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Therapy with a minor in Psychology from East Carolina University. He brings many years of experience in educational pedagogy and effective training in high-risk environments. Jeff is a Level II Rope Access Technician and has been a certified Wilderness First Responder for 20+ years. He is an active member on multiple standards committees for ANSI Z359, SPRAT®, ASTM, NFPA and Cordage Institute. He is the Risk, Safety and Industry Relations Manager for Pigeon Mountain Industries and a technical writer that develops language for product user instructions as well as marketing materials. He is constantly assessing how PMI serves multiple industries while maintaining the highest safety standards possible. When he’s not working, Jeff enjoys mountain biking, mountaineering, rock climbing, skiing, hiking, live music, traveling and exploring with his girlfriend Kelly, their son Jake and daughter Emma, and their dogs Lakota and Bear.

Skills You Learn

Ascending and descending

Rope to rope transfers

Passing knots

Short and long re-belays

Passing deviation anchors

Passing and installing rope protection

Basic knot craft

The importance of fall factors

Mechanical advantage systems

After successful completion of this SPRAT course and evaluation, you will receive an Associate Membership with SPRAT. This is included in your evaluation fees to SPRAT, which is included in the course cost.

All SPRAT members enjoy the following benefits:

Free copy of Safe Practices for Rope Access Work – the SPRAT standard on rope access work
Special rates on industry publications
Regular updates and industry news via the SPRAT Quarterly Newsletter
Involvement in the development of industry standards
Networking resources via the members only page of the website and through attendance at SPRAT meetings and conferences
Representation to regulatory agencies on issues involving use of rope techniques for access

There are four types of membership – corporate, sustaining, associate and subscribing.

The Corporate Membership category is open to organizations that employ rope access personnel, provide rope access services or consulting, manufacture or distribute rope access equipment, or provide rope access training in either a for-profit or not-for-profit operation. Corporate members are regular members with voting rights and receive the following:

Three (3) additional individual listings in Directory of Members
Three (3) individual discounts on conferences and materials
Annual dues for Corporate Membership are $950 for the first year and $850 thereafter.

The Sustaining Membership category is open to organizations that employ rope access personnel, provide rope access services or consulting, manufacture or distribute rope access equipment, or provide rope access training in either a for-profit or not-for-profit operation. Sustaining members are regular members with voting rights. Annual dues for Sustaining Membership are $350.

The Associate Membership category is open to individuals who are engaged in rope access work or providing rope access education. Associate members are regular members with voting rights. Annual dues for Associate Membership are $100 for the first year and $75 thereafter.

The Subscribing Membership category is open to organizations and individuals that do not qualify as sustaining or associate members but wish to receive information on the society’s projects. Subscribing members are entitled to such standards, reference documents and publications as SPRAT develops and the Board of Directors approves. Subscribing members are non-voting members of SPRAT. Annual dues for Subscribing Membership are $100 for the first year and $45 thereafter.

For more details on the benefits and types of memberships, download the SPRAT Membership Brochure*.

To apply for SPRAT Membership online, download the SPRAT Membership Application*.

For more details on SPRAT, visit them online at www.sprat.org.

NOTE: Membership with SPRAT is optional and in no way effects this course or your certifications achieved through this course.