• Ensure all technicians hold valid IRATA or equivalent certification for the task level.
• Use two independently anchored ropes for every rope access operation.
• Assess and test anchor points for adequate load capacity before attaching ropes.
• Prepare and brief the rescue plan before any rope access work begins.
• Practise rescue procedures so recovery of a suspended technician is immediate.
• Inspect all rope access equipment before every use and at six-monthly intervals.
• Establish exclusion zones below rope access operations to protect workers beneath.
• Monitor weather and stop work when wind, rain, or lightning affect safety.
• Use rope access only when other methods are not reasonably practicable.
• Tether all tools and equipment to prevent them falling onto workers below.

• DON'T carry out rope access work without valid IRATA or equivalent certification.
• DON'T use a single rope system — both a working and safety rope are mandatory.
• DON'T attach ropes to anchor points that have not been assessed and load-tested.
• DON'T start rope access without a rescue plan ready and briefed to the team.
• DON'T delay rescuing a suspended technician — suspension trauma kills within minutes.
• DON'T use equipment that has not been inspected or is overdue for examination.
• DON'T allow workers below rope access operations without exclusion zones in place.
• DON'T continue working in weather conditions that compromise rope access safety.
• DON'T choose rope access for convenience — it is a last resort after other methods.
• DON'T carry loose tools at height — tether everything to prevent dropped objects.

See also: Temporary Access Safety Awareness | Fall Arrest vs Fall Restraint Systems