After a physically grueling week of learning to scale a concrete wall with ropes and harnesses, Katie Welch, EIT and Ben Schorn, EIT completed their SPRAT training and earned Level I SPRAT Certification.
SPRAT stands for Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians. SPRAT certification gives the candidates training, credibility and recognition of using ropes safely for their professions with a good list of benefits. Hoyle Tanner employs rope access for bridge inspections.
Bridge inspections are typically completed while the bridge is open to traffic with specialized access equipment. At times, due to weight restrictions, traffic volume or bridge geometry, it is not feasible to access the bridge with specialized equipment. For these situations, our staff includes Rope Access Technicians who are certified through SPRAT. Using rope access techniques allows us to complete inspections minimizing disruption to traffic and has the added benefit of ‘hands-on’ inspection of portions of the bridge that would be difficult to access otherwise.
Katie and Ben join our other certified instructors to strengthen our SPRAT-certified team.
