Pitched Roof Specific

Rope Access Training

“AUTHORIZED PERSON”
Certification Training Manual

“Guide to Risk Managed Roof Inspection”

(Participant Copy)
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Copyright Protected Reality Rope Access LLC 2017
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 Introduction
Class participation does not guarantee certification. Successful course completion requires
that every participant demonstrates technical skill proficiency consistent with professional
association (ACRABAT) standards that can be viewed at www.acrabat.org.

Certification is valid for a period of three years from successful class completion date.

WARNING:
The information contained within this document is intended for use as a supplement to actual
hands-on / experiential training conducted by a Competent Trainer. Improper interpretation
and / or misuse of this information may result in incident, injury or fatality. No liability for loss
or damage, direct or consequential, to readers or others from the use of information contained
herein will be assumed by Reality Rope Access LLC, its administration, members, partners,
or contributors.

Document Purpose:
Establish minimum standards of managed fall protection practice consistent with federal
OSHA regulation, ANSI recommendations and international rope access standards as it
applies to the Pitched Roof Access trades industries.

Class Objectives:
Eliminate the risk of fall related injury for the diverse spectrum of trades who must access
pitched roofing systems to deliver an effective, accurate and complete work product.

Safe Access Philosophy:

Most roof structure access accidents can be prevented with:

 Acknowledgement that the highest priority for any industry is the health, safety, and
wellbeing of their human resource.
 Understanding the inherent risks associated with pitched roofing system access.
 Careful selection of workers with the appropriate equipment, attitude, physical
attributes, inherent abilities, and developed skills.
 Completion of a comprehensive pitched roof specific fall protection training class.
 Active participation within a site specific managed fall protection program.
 Appropriate selection, use, inspection, and maintenance of all rope access gear and
personal protection equipment.
 Workers taking responsibility for their own wellbeing by exercising their right to
refuse work related duties that they believe to be unsafe

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 Knots
Correctly tied and properly dressed knots are an essential part of any lifeline assisted roof
inspection. The knots used for this training have been carefully selected by the world-wide
rope access community based on the application for which they are to be applied:
 direction of force to be applied to the knot
 tensile breaking strength of the knot
 knot’s resistance to the forces of shear
 degree of effort required to untie once subjected to the forces of a working load

Knots w/ Roof Climbing / Inspection Applications:

1) Super 8 (Anchor Knot) – used to secure 4) Prusik Knot – used to secure a prusik
a lifeline to an anchor or to anchor cord to a lifeline.
webbing.
Residual rope strength will
vary based on diameter ratio
Reduces residual rope
of prusik cord to rope.
strength by 35%.

2) Double Overhand or Locking Knot 5) Butterfly Knot (Pivot Line Knot) –

(Redundant Knot) – A redundant knot Used to form a loop in the middle of a
used to secure primary knot (Figure 8 lifeline where the knot will be
follow through or Bowline on a bight). A subjected to loading in three different
double oppositional Overhand locking knot directions.
can also be used to connect two lengths of
rope.
Reduces residual rope
Reduces residual rope strength by 35%.
strength by 30%.

6) Figure 8 Follow Through – Used to

3) Water Knot w/ Locking Knots (Tape secure a lifeline directly to a human
Knot / Flat Cordage Knot) – Used to anchor’s seat harness or to secure a
create no slip anchor lines.
pivot line directly to a pivot point
(butterfly loop) without the use of a
carabiner.
Reduces residual rope
strength by 30%.
Reduces residual rope
strength by 30%.

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 Ladder Safety
The majority of all roof access injuries are ladder related therefore, ladder safety is
undeniably the most important topic addressed in this program. Please take time to review the
following ladder safety information:
Avoiding Little Known Ladder Mistakes:
1. Choose roof access points carefully. Walk around entire house or building prior to
setting up your ladder. Remember: the best choice for ladder placement is not
always at the front of the risk!
2. Avoid double pulls (pulling a ladder up onto a roofing surface to access a higher roofing
surface). Ladders of appropriate length should be used from ground level to access all
roofing slopes.
3. Ladder stabilizers can greatly increase a ladder’s resistance to the forces of lateral
slippage and leverage kick-out.
4. Ladders do not have an indefinite life span. Make sure you inspect your ladder on a
regular basis and retire it when appropriate.
5. Do not allow a raised ladder to be unattended w/o securing it to the eave line or
incorporating the use of a ladder stabilizer.
6. Metal ladders conduct electricity. Always complete a visual inspection for power lines
prior to removing your ladder from your vehicle.

Points to Consider:
 The use of ladders are the leading cause of fall related injuries and fatalities for those
who are required to access pitched roofing systems for their professions.
 Appropriate ladder selection and use are the most critical components of any risk
managed roof inspection plan.
 All portable ladders are multi-use ladders! There is NO such thing as a pitched roof
specific ladder.
 Extension ladders represent the overall best choice for pitched roof specific access:

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Ladder Kick-Out – is the leading cause of ladder access related injuries that occurs when
the dynamic forces applied to the ladder exceed the traction of the ladder’s base footing.
The application of climber’s weight to any rung located above the rail contact points at the
eave of the roof can cause catastrophic ladder failure.

Lateral Slippage is the second most

common cause of ladder related failure. It
can take place with as little as 9 lbs of
lateral pressure during the climber’s
transition from ladder to roof or roof to
ladder. Both kick-out and lateral slippage
can be greatly reduced with the
implementation of ladder stabilizing
accessories.
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Roof Specific Rope Access Tools
 ANCHORS – represent a critical component of a personal fall arrest system used
as a secure point to attach a lifeline or lanyard.
Fixed Anchors – Suitable anchor points that exist in place at the site where the roof
inspection is to take place. The most appropriate form of lifeline anchors consists of
heavy vegetation such as trees and shrubs or manmade structures such as decks,
fences and outbuildings.

Load Sharing Anchors – the combination of

several anchors to provide a structure centered
connection point and / or enough foot pounds of
resisting force to secure a primary lifeline.

Weight Based Anchors- utilized only in situations where no suitable fixed anchors are
present. Should be appropriately placed directly under the opposing eave of the roof
slope to be inspected and consist of a weight approximately equal or greater to that of
the roof climber.

Human Anchors NOTE: weight based

anchors attached to a
lifeline positioned
across a composition
based roof’s ridge cap
Anchor Barrel w/ Webbing Cage – are capable of
55 gallon plastic drum encased in a sustaining three to
1” tubular webbing cage that can four times their own
static weight when
easily be moved into position on a situated directly
flat surface, filled with water from a beneath the eave of
garden hose and connected to a an opposing slope.
lifeline with carabiners.

Portable
Anchors:

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Examples of Appropriate Fixed Anchors: Trees, fence posts, deck posts, heavy shrubs,
fire hydrants, anchor barrels and vehicles.
1) Appropriate working loads will need to be approximated however, all lifeline anchors
should at least adhere to the following:

I) Fixed anchors should be attached to the earth in a manner that would require a
force of greater than 5000 lbs. to compromise it.
II) Weight based anchors should have equal or greater weight to that of the roof
climber.
III) When using a vehicle for an anchor make sure:
 it is parked on a clean, dry surface (not on gravel).
 it is locked with the keys secured so that it cannot be accidently moved.
 it is connected to a structural member attached securely to the frame.
 it is positioned so force is applied is at a right angle to the drive train.
 lifeline extending to climber does not cross a driveway or any other open
travel ways.

2) Some belay set-up situations may require the use of load sharing, a process where
multiple anchor points are combined to achieve a desired tensile strength or structure
connection point.

This anchor point demonstrates

the concept of load sharing by
attaching several deck posts to
anchor webbings clipped into a
single, split looped Super 8 knot.

3) Appropriate anchor selection will incorporate consideration for selection based on

minimizing shear (i.e. sharp edge damage to cordage).

4) Some anchors will require the use of tubular webbing to prevent damage to lifeline.
Establishing an anchor point
around an axle or tire rim is an
effective means of securing a
lifeline however, should
incorporate the use of tubular
webbing to prevent shear
damage to a rope.

5) All anchor lines should be placed low to the ground and make at least two full loops
around anchor structure to prevent vertical or horizontal movement.
6) All anchors should be located directly in line with the climbers intended access path.
7) Vertical lifelines should incorporate two lifelines with two independent anchors.

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8) Use care to prevent cross loading of anchor connectors. Remember to apply all loads
across the carabiner’s major axis / spine.

 Anchor Webbing - Flat braided tubular Nylon typically used in a rope access
system to secure rope to anchors. Tensile breaking strength: 1” = 4000 lbs., 1” Loop
w/Water knot = 6800lbs.

 Anchor Slings – Heavy duty braided nylon of varying lengths with stitched
looped ends used to expedite the set-up of an anchor connection point. Tensile
breaking strength: End to End = 9,000 lbs., Basket loop = 18,000 lbs.

 ASCENDERS - a belay device best suited for climbing up a rope.

Petzl Hand- Held Ascender (Jumar) – (Aluminum) Tensile breaking strength = 1,240
lbs. when attached to 10.5 mm rope (available in both right and left handed models).
Hand held rope gripping device used to ascend a Lifeline.

WARNING: Ascenders can fail with as little

as 600 lbs of load force therefore are not
approved by manufacturers to use alone as
a primary belay device!

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 Petzl Chest Ascender (Croll) – (Aluminum) Tensile breaking strength = 1,240 lbs.
when attached to 10.5 mm rope. Chest positioned rope gripping device used to ascend
a lifeline. Retirement at 10 years or sooner based on condition.

 BODY HARNESS SYSTEM – Nylon based component system of webbing

and fasteners that encapsulate both the upper and lower torso. Designed to evenly
distribute weight across the chest, shoulders, waist and thighs. A rope access harness
that provides a minimum of two (central / waist level and sternal / chest level) points of
attachment. Must be adjusted so it fits snugly across the legs, waist and shoulders
without significantly limiting rope access worker’s range of movement

Falcon Seat Harness Top Croll Chest Harness

 CONNECTORS – a device (ex. carabiners, snap hooks, rapid links) used to link
components of a rope access system.
CARABINERS – Two & Three Stage Carabiners

3 – Stage Steel 3 – Stage Aluminum

2 - Stage Aluminum
Screw Gate

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 Carabiners are used to secure various components from anchors to climber within a
rope access system. Carabiners should be load rated to at least 5000 lbs. / 22.2 kn. (1
kn. = 224.8 lbs.) and should have at least two different locking mechanisms that require
two different consecutive manual actions to open the gate. Weight loads should never
be applied across the short axis / gate or to the long access with an unsecured gate!
ANSI rated carabiners offer a minimum tensile strength of 3600 lbs of gate strength as
an additional measure of safety should load be accidentally applied to short axis.

Appropriate Load Minor Axis Appropriate Load

Application Direction Application Direction
Major Axis

Warning: Carabiners represent a quick and easy way of establishing a rope access connection
however, to avoid compromising a carabiner’s greatest listed strength, they should always be loaded in
a single direction along the major access with the gate securely closed.

Cross Loading – The application of any load on a carabiner other than that which is applied to
the carabiner’s long / major axis.

NOTE: Attaching aluminum carabiners to steel hardware or steel carabiners to aluminum hardware will
accelerate wear to the piece of equipment composed of the softer metal!

 DESCENDERS - A belay device primarily designed to travel down a rope.

Petzl “Rig” - a friction producing device attached to a climber’s seat harness and used
to effect a controlled rate of descent. Intended for use with climbing rope of 10.5 – 11.5
mm in diameter only and not intended for use with loads that exceed 330 lbs.
Retirement at 10 yrs. or sooner based on condition.

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 LADDERS – Of appropriate lengths and load capacity in good working order that
have been stamped with a seal from the Underwriter’s Laboratory.
Type III (RED) = 200 lbs. Type II (GREEN) = 225 lbs. Type I (BLUE) = 250 lbs

Type I-A (ORANGE) = 300 lbs. Type I-AA (YELLOW) = 375 lbs.

NOTE: Fiberglass Ladders Are

Color Specific to Load Rating:

 LADDER STABILIZERS – Roof access specific attachments utilized to

improve extension ladder stability and secure a climber’s transition from ladder to roof
and roof to ladder.

 FALL ARRESTERS - a belay device that moves along a lifeline and engages /
locks onto a lifeline in the event of a fall.
Prusik Cord (Fall Arrester) – small diameter nylon cord. A primary or redundant
friction producing device that secures a climber to a rope.

 GLOVES - utilized to protect climber’s hands from heat producing friction

experienced with rope management (minimizes potential for rope abrasions).

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 THE HUMAN BODY – Without question the most vulnerable component of
any rope access system. Physical shock related trauma to the average human body
occurs at around 1000 lbs. (when attached to central / waist level D-ring). NOTE: Static
falls of as little as 5 feet can produce around 1200 lbs. of shock load to a 200 lb
climber. Tensile breaking strength 2000 lbs.

 Tag-Lines – A collection of components assembled together and used from

ground level to position a rope / lifeline over a structure. Tag-Lines should minimize the
threat for friction related trauma to rope and the surfaces that they are employed over.
Tag-Line System - A weighted ball (6 to 8 ounces) attached to a plastic cylindrical tube
or sphere with 2-3mm tightly braided polypropylene cord (110ft. minimum length
required for average residential setting).

Comet Ball Video Demonstration Line Launcher Video Demonstration

Precision Line Launcher w/Attached Rope Caddy - A Ramset / blank cartridge

powered tag-line delivery device. Used to position a tag-line over structures that are
either extremely tall, or present obstructions / obstacles that require a greater degree of
accuracy to secure in place.

 RIDGE PROTECTOR - Placed over top of roof structure to protect ridge capto
eliminate the threat of damage to shingles or rope.
Leather Ridge Cap Rope Damaged Ridge Cap
Protection Tube Ridge Cap Protection Pad

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 LOW STRETCH ROPE - of appropriate lengths 150’ – 250’ in length and
10mm / 13mm Perlon (nylon) tensile breaking strength will vary depending on the
manufacturer and method of construction.

Note: Low Stretch rope typically only

contains one or two colors and is
firmer to the touch than Dynamic
rope.

Ropes come in varying shapes, sizes, colors and strengths and are used for varying
purposes. Not all rope is suitable for rope access on pitched roofing systems.

OSHA requires that all work related climbing ropes are made from synthetic fibers like
Nylon.
NOTE: All ropes will elongate under the force of a load. Some ropes possess significantly
greater elongation potential than others. Rope elongation represents contractible expansion
under a force within the limits of a working load. Rope stretch typically represents damage from
either age, or a force that exceeds that of a working load limit.

Kernmantle Climbing Rope: Most climbing rope is comprised of a twisted, white

nylon core (the kern) which is surrounded by a braided nylon cover (the mantle).
Three Types of Kernmantle Rope Typically Used for Climbing:

Static / Low Stretch / Dynamic.

Less Elongation More Elongation
Potential Potential

Static: This type of rope is often two toned or a solid color. Static rope produces less
than less than 6% elongation at 10% of the manufacturer’s listed minimum breaking
strength.
Low Stretch: This type of rope is often two toned or a solid color as well. Low stretch
rope produces between 6% and 10% elongation at 10% of the manufacturer’s listed
minimum breaking strength.
Dynamic: This type of rope is generally more multi-colored (normally three or more
different colors) is brighter, more expensive and softer to the touch. It is designed to
absorb the energy of a fall therefore limiting the amount of impact force transmitted to
the climber. Dynamic rope produces up to 30% elongation at the manufacturer’s listed
minimum tensile breaking strength.

WARNING! Dynamic climbing rope has a limited safe applications

for accessing a pitched roof and is capable of producing amounts
of elongation that can fail to prevent a climber’s stability and / or
impact with the ground

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Rope Care:
 Store in a cool dry place, do not store directly on top of or beside a concrete
surface.
 Keep rope away from petroleum products and fumes.
 Minimize exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
 Avoid exposure to heat, e.g., fire, cigarettes, excessive friction, and hot surfaces.
 Avoid exposures to dangerous chemicals, dirt and sand.
 Rope should receive visual and tactile inspection for flat spots, fraying, or cuts both
before and after use. Keep a record of use in a rope log.
 Remove knots after every use.
 Minimize shear (avoid sharp edges and objects). Shear represents the greatest
threat for rope damage!
 ropes can be cleaned as needed in a washtub or front loading (not a top loading
washing machine or a washing machine with an agitator) using a mild detergent
like “woolite” (never bleach) in cold water. air dry by hanging outstretched in a
cool, dry place with good air circulation. do not machine dry!
ropes should be retired (no longer used for climbing) if:

 shock loaded (i.e. subjected to a force that exceeds a working load limit).
 showing flat spots, excessive wear or fraying.
 exposed to excessive heat.
 over three years old or has over 300 hours of use.
 they have stretched or shrunk more than 5%.

* IMPORTANT: Equipment information provided in this

manual is approximate and only provided for the
purpose of comparison. Actual equipment strengths will
vary depending on brands, sizes, condition, and
application. Equipment specific information provided by
manufacturer should always be regarded as primary /
most accurate when considering the capabilities of
individual rope access hardware components.

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