Engineering at heights

Use of industrial alpinism has been growing in Brazil, but the procedure demands intensive training and the adoption of safe techniques for the professionals involved.

A unique modality of work, carried out high above the ground, has been growing in Brazil’s construction sector. Known in many parts of the world as ‘industrial alpinism’, rope-access techniques gather a number of professional activities which are performed while the worker is suspended from ropes. Likewise as applies to other similar actions, industrial alpinism was specifically addressed with its own regulation within “Norma Regulamentadora NR-35” (Regulatory Standard NR-35), which defines minimum safety and protection requirements for working at heights.

“The regulation specifies the planning, organization and execution of industrial alpinism,” explains José Barbosa da Silva Jr., operations manager at ‘Victoria Qualidade Industrial’ (an industrial-testing, inspection and engineering-services firm).  Headquartered in the city of ‘Lauro de Freitas’ - greater metropolitan area of Salvador - Bahia (BA), the company adopts rope-access techniques to provide support for projects as diverse as building refineries or association football (aka soccer) stadiums. But, despite a first impression of being an adventure-seeking activity or extreme sport, the industrial alpinism that is presently used in Brazil steers far and clear of any improvisation.

According to Victoria executive Barbosa da Silva Jr., all work at heights should be preceded by a ‘Preliminary Analysis of Risk’ which determines the system of anchoring  and the selection, inspection and manner of utilization of personal protective and collective protective systems. This analysis even includes the assessment of additional risks, impeditive or barring conditions, emergencies and the planning of rescues and first aid. Leadership of these processes should be assumed by qualified professionals, certified by acknowledged associations. Another requirement is the education of these specialists who must be attend and successfully complete theoretical and practical training, besides demonstrating they are fit for working at heights by presenting a ‘workers’ occupational health certificate’.

ACCESSORIES

To work in the area, the accessories go far beyond conventional personal protective equipment (PPE) and involve, additionally, anchoring systems designed to protect personnel against falls from heights. In that case, inspection is required not only at the time of acquisition of the gear, but also periodically and systematically. Protective equipment that is found to be defective, deteriorated or deformed (or that suffers impacts from falls) should be destroyed and discarded. Furthermore, companies that render services in the segment must always have a plan for emergencies with actions to be taken in response to such events.

“Those who work in the segment must be aware of the imminent risks associated with each activity and the precautions that can avoid accidents,” explains Mario Saragô, director of ‘Saragô Serviços Técnicos em Altura’ - a technical services company specializing in work at heights established in the city of Teresópolis – (RJ). The executive points out that each member of the organization must be aware of the importance not only of PPE but also of collective protective equipment (CPE).

According to Saragô, industrial alpinism has been put to use in various activities inherent to civil construction, including the use of scaffolds, ladders, bosun’s chairs, assembling of roofs, and in works where there is no protection railing.

SCOPE

José Barbosa da Silva Jr., of Victoria, reminds us that requests for services performed at heights and in areas of difficult access are very common cases that require the adoption of the rope-access, industrial alpinism technique. The scope of industrial alpinism involves specific operations, such as bolt torquing / torque testing or even welding for the assembly of prefabricated metallic structures.

Other applications include the assembly of roof structures and the installation of glass skin and special surfacing, painting, finishing, and even post-construction clean-ups of building facades and large structures. The methodology also has ample applications in inspection work, quality control and inspection of services such as welding, dimensional control and concrete inspection, among other activities.

Rescues, in the case of accidents, are also included in the scope of activities of the area’s professionals, especially when such incidents occur in places of limited access or confined spaces. “In any sector of the work, the team of alpinists is prepared to perform a rescue immediately and with agility,” Barbosa da Silva Jr. underscores.

Representing about one quarter of the activities performed by Victoria, industrial alpinism has already prompted changes in the company which, in fact, is restructuring to increase its share in the segment. The motivation comes from the significant increase in the adoption of rope-access techniques which, according to experts, increase agility in project works and are mobilized more rapidly. Another aspect that is particularly stressed is the increase in the level of safety since climbing must be performed by qualified professionals and therefore engages fewer human resources. In other words, the teams are leaner and exhaustively trained, which ultimately means they are more cost-effective.

NICHES

At Saragô, special services in which industrial alpinism is used already account for 15% of the company’s revenues. The largest niches in which the company operates involve jobs such as the installation of panes of glass and lightning rods, as well as post-construction clean-ups, working on slopes and assembly of anchor eyebolts; to name just the main niches. One such example of a recent project is the construction of the ‘Engenhão’ Stadium in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), which involved activities such as the activation of telephone lines, spectator-stand lighting and supporting actions for stormwater drainage.

Sports arenas, incidentally, are also venues for industrial alpinism as applied by Bahia’s ‘Victoria Qualidade Industrial’. Just recently, the company actively participated in the finalization of the construction of the ‘Arena Fonte Nova’ – a stadium in Salvador. “This stage of construction required the completion and review of past services, so they hired us to carry out inspections of torquing (bolt-tightening) activities and the painting of the arena’s roof structure,” Barbosa da Silva Jr. tells us. The initial work was followed by the completion of the rest of the painting, the structure until its suspension, as well as the assembly and installation of the stadium’s electronic panels.

Even though the company particularly cites the construction of this sports arena, the executive also emphasizes infrastructure and large building construction as segments with a potential for industrial alpinism. Certain factors serve to explain the expectation of growth in the demand for industrial alpinism in these sectors, starting with the size of these projects which require the establishment of several work fronts. For companies in the sector, rope-access techniques constitute the most suitable solution for work done at heights and in areas of difficult access at job sites of this kind. Besides the volume of work, the rope-access method can also overcome obstacles more easily than traditional techniques, such as the use of scaffolds and work platforms.

The fact that industrial alpinism facilitates visual monitoring by the engineers who oversee construction is another aspect in favor of industrial alpinism. “Not to mention that these projects have increasingly tighter schedules and require agility, speed, efficiency and safety,” Barbosa da Silva Jr. points out. “Our advantage, in this case, is combining all of this at a lower cost.”

QUALIFICATION

The operations manager adds another important point: in case of accident, the rescue procedure is done by the team itself, since all the rope access professionals are also certified for emergency actions. Moreover, the training of industrial alpinists requires specific certification issued by acknowledged associations including the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA), whose certification is valid internationally; and the Brazilian Association of Non-Destructive Testing and Inspection (Abendi) that issues certification valid nationally.

According to experts interviewed by Revista M&T, the training and certification of industrial alpinists is divided into three levels starting from basic (Alpinist/Climber Level 1) to operational technician (Alpinist/Climber Level 2) and then on to the level of access supervisor (Alpinist/Climber Level 3).

It is important to point out that, to move up to the next level, the professional must complete specific training which establishes a minimum requirement of one thousand (1,000) hours of experience and one year of actual involvement in the performance of rope-access services at the previous level. When professionals reach the highest level, they are technically qualified to manage projects that involve the use of rope access, supervise work teams and even perform the most complex types of rescue work. At Level 3, the industrial alpinist can furthermore produce risk assessments (Preliminary Analyses of Risk), equipment reports and statements/methods of work.

Learn about the equipment used in industrial alpinism

Focused on safety, industrial alpinism requires much more than the adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE) and collective protective equipment (CPE). Besides PPE and CPE, which are indispensable, the area’s professionals need specific individual devices since each one will work suspended by two ropes – one to afford access and a safety rope, both of which are attached to a safety harness of the type worn by skydivers.

Attached to the first or access rope is a set of ascenders or self-braking/self-jamming descenders that enable the alpinist to move upwards, downwards or horizontally. Such flexibility allows rope access professionals to position themselves exactly where the work will be done.

On the safety rope, in turn, two sets of devices are attached, forming the professional alpinist’s individual protective system. These attachments are: the set of dynamic rope lanyards (a.k.a. cow’s tail) which act as absorbers of energy, and the back-up mechanism or fall-arrest device.

The entire system is self-jamming enabling the worker to utilize both hands in performing the job. In addition, the ropes must be attached to independent anchors and inspected prior to use. “The use of appropriate equipment is essential but not enough,” warns Barbosa da Silva Jr. of Victoria Qualidade. Prior to any job, one must carry out a Preliminary Analysis of Risk which will establish the necessary recommendations for the task to be performed safely.

Besides such care, Barbosa da Silva Jr. stresses the need to elaborate a Rescue Plan suited to the work place. “This is a crucial condition for work to begin,” he says. Saragô, in turn, emphasizes that the equipment deployed may vary depending on the respective activities which may determine combinations with scaffolds or other resources. Thus there may be variations in devices from fall-arrest systems to double lanyards. “In any case, the minimum PPE includes a skydiver-type safety harness, helmet and safety boots,” he concludes.