scaffolders, absailers or working at height training

A freind wants to train at working at height, anyone know any training firms, what experience do you need.

Obviously a fear of falling will help.

Need to be more specific. What does your friend want to do when up at height?

Window cleaning,pylon work aeriel instalation for cell phone masts that sort of thing or scaffolding.

http://www.citb.co.uk/training-courses/scaffolding-and-access/

It’s been a while since I looked into it but it (mostly) doesn’t work that way. Develop a trade / skill at ground level and then convert it to “working at heights” or offshore or similar.

Just wanting to work at heights isn’t really enough I’m afraid.

What Sweaman2 said.
Scaffolding being an exception.

For work on telecommunication towers, pylons and wind turbines look at Total Access Ltd. They do climbing and rescue training geared towards that type of work. Never used them personally because I don’t do any of that work but some of our guys have done there training there with good feedback. For that type of technical work though this training is secondary to your trade or technical qualifications and will usually be organised and paid for by your employer. Not something that would normally lead to a job in that field.

From another angle a rope access course with no other trade background could lead to a start cutting back vegetation on highway embankments, which could lead to railway embankments (with rail PTS) and with further development and progression lead to bridge/viaduct etc examinations and inspections. Always work in this field for good people.

EDIT: article on getting into rope access http://dmmprofessional.com/articles/2013/04/18/becoming-qualified-as-a-rope-access-technician/

Thanks for the info will pass it on, but looks really intresting, if i was younger fitter and not afraid of heights thats a skill i would aquire.

Is absailing a bit like abseiling but for mariners? 🙂

Stay WELL AWAY from Total Access!
IF you want training then use Heightec/NARC.
He really will need a trade though – there are a huge amount of guys with tickets but no skills – labourers – nothing more.
He will need to bring something to the table to get a try.
I literally have hundreds of cv’s and less than 10% ever get a call unless I need to swamp a site with bodies.
Just because you can climb/abseil/etc DOESN’T mean you can o the job needed when you get there – that’s the important bit!
You have to remember that working at height is just that – electrician/plumber/roofer/painter/welder/etc – there is a job to be done.
The only special bit is that no-one else can get there….

I did my advanced climber years ago with total access with no problems

http://www.outreachrescue.com/industrial-safety-training

These people know their stuff

When I was in the Royal Signals I trained as an aerial rigger and really enjoyed it. I then did a civvi rope access course with Mark Wright in Rotherham. Tell your mate to Google IRATA for info on rope access training and quals. Alternatively if he fancies the forces the RAF have a trade dedicated to rigging.

I’m Telecoms as well and you really need a trade before working at height, also it’s fine on a nice day but when it’s cold and wet in February it can be really grim.

I’ve done Advanced Climber and Tower Rescue at both Total Access and TAG(now Capital Safety). I cannot fault the training at either just enjoyed the course at Capital Safety more.

If he is interested on working on electricity pylons 11-500kV (long periods away from home, long hours in all weather, very manual work) and has a useful trade or skill already (some electrical knowledge is useful) feel free to pass my email on and get him to send a CV
Likely he would start at the bottom though as a trainee, still decent money though, but it’s definitely a lifestyle not a job and isn’t for everyone
I work here http://www.balfourbeattyservices.com/power-transmission-and-distribution/ but if we don’t have anything suitable (probably missed this years trainee intake) I’ve contacts at Interserve and Babcock as well and quite a few of the cellular rigging contractors (not in that area myself anymore but was for several years)

And nowt wrong with Total Access

Likely he would start at the bottom though as a trainee

😀

😀
Didn’t think of it like that
I meant even with a trade and getting a climbing qualification it wouldn’t be a quick route to An LE1 or 2 position, on the job experience is everything

Ian I used to rig antennas after i left the army but ive been in fire service for the last 12 years so well out of it. What sort of money are you looking at as I fancy a change. And I know I used to earn more rigging on a good week than I do a month now

I took my IRATA lvl 1 last year. I have no trade as such but was very lucky to have a route into work through a friend.
Things I have learned are that it’s bloody hard, really good fun a lot of the time, pays pretty well, not for anyone who can’t cope with doing a proper days work, then another and another…
Have worked up at 150m plus in rain and wind, baked under glass roof in 38deg sunlight, got covered in paint, mastic, dust, dirt, pigeon poo, tree sap…..
I love it but if I hadn’t had help getting a job I think I would have struggled to find a start, ere are so many people out there with a lvl 1 and no other skills who were sauced by the tales of easy money off shore…
Oh, Total are a bunch of Lizards too…

This sort of thing then? 🙂

Scaffolders – you need to be a certain kind of mental to do that day in day out.

“Abseiling”, more properly Rope Access – look at IRATA as other have said.

As above, you need to have a trade to go with it

You have to remember that working at height is just that – electrician/plumber/roofer/painter/welder/etc – there is a job to be done.
The only special bit is that no-one else can get there….

This is very true, unless you just want to spend your life cleaning windows or painting stuff, dope-on-a-rope stylee. NDT and inspection is where the proper money is.

As an alternative – what about entertainment industry rigging? Reasonably easy to get into if you are unskilled, but have a positive attitude and are a hard worker (its all freelance based), and there’s plenty of opportunity for dicking round at height. Definitely a “lifestyle” job though – it’s anything but 9-5. The decent companies (Outback, Unusual, Roadrunner, Nippy) all do on the job training, and there is a new formal quali in the form of the National Rigging Certificate.

We use a company at work, I think they’re called Vertical Access (we call them “Dope’s on Ropes”). 😉