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Safety-Led at Every Stage
At AERTRUS LTD, safety is fundamental to how we plan, supervise and deliver each project. Our approach is supported by task-specific risk assessments, safe systems of work, competent personnel, inspected equipment, appropriate rescue planning and practical emergency arrangements.
Our Safety Commitment
AERTRUS LTD is committed to protecting our personnel, clients, contractors, members of the public and anyone who may be affected by our work.
Every project is assessed individually. We select appropriate access methods, identify site-specific hazards and establish proportionate controls, rescue arrangements and clear working procedures before work begins.
How We Manage Safety
Task-Specific RAMS
Risks, control measures and working methods are assessed, documented and communicated before work starts.
Competent Personnel
Work is allocated to suitably trained, qualified and experienced personnel, with supervision appropriate to the task and site.
Equipment Selection and Inspection
Rope access, fall protection and personal protective equipment are selected for the task, checked before use and maintained in line with applicable requirements.
Site-Specific Planning
We consider access, anchor systems, falling-object risks, exclusion zones, weather, third parties and changing site conditions.
Rescue and Emergency Planning
Appropriate rescue and emergency arrangements are developed for the location, access method and task before work begins.
Briefings and Stop-Work Authority
Personnel receive site and task briefings and are authorised and expected to stop work if conditions become unsafe or differ from the agreed plan.
Our Working-at-Height Approach
We follow the work-at-height hierarchy:
- Avoid work at height where reasonably practicable.
- Where work at height cannot be avoided, prevent falls using an existing safe workplace or suitable work equipment.
- Where a fall risk remains, minimise the distance and consequences of a fall using appropriate protective equipment.
At each stage, we consider measures that protect everyone at risk—collective protection—before measures that protect only the individual.
We select access systems and control measures according to the task, location, duration, workforce and site-specific risks.
Rope Access Controls
Where rope access is selected as the appropriate access method, our planning may include:
- A two-line system with separately anchored working and safety lines, except where a documented risk assessment identifies exceptional circumstances and additional safeguards are applied;
- Suitable and verified anchor arrangements;
- Appropriate edge management and rope protection;
- Tool tethering and falling-object controls;
- Controlled access and exclusion zones;
- Weather and environmental monitoring;
- Effective communication between team members;
- A rope access team with appropriate Level 3 supervision;
- Pre-use checks and recorded equipment inspections; and
- A site- and task-specific rescue plan.
Industrial rope access uses ropes and associated equipment to provide access, egress and support at the work position. Further information is available from IRATA International.
Emergency and Rescue Preparedness
We do not treat rescue as an afterthought. Appropriate emergency and rescue arrangements are considered during project planning and communicated before work begins.
Plans may address:
- Foreseeable rescue scenarios;
- Rescue methods and equipment;
- Competent rescue personnel;
- Communication and escalation arrangements;
- Access for emergency services;
- Casualty recovery and first-aid arrangements; and
- Site-specific hazards that could affect a rescue.
IRATA Annex R recommends considering the complete rescue and evacuation process—from access to the worksite and movement of equipment to casualty evacuation and effective communication with emergency services. View IRATA’s rescue and evacuation planning guidance.
Documentation Supporting Our Work
Depending on the scope and risks of the project, our safety documentation may include:
- A construction phase plan for work within the scope of CDM 2015;
- Task-specific risk assessments and method statements (RAMS);
- A rope-access plan;
- A site- and task-specific rescue plan;
- COSHH assessments;
- Manual-handling assessments;
- Equipment inspection and examination records;
- Technician competence, qualification and training records;
- Toolbox-talk, induction and briefing records;
- Incident and near-miss records, including statutory reports where required; and
- Project-specific permits and inspection records.
Learning and Continuous Improvement
We encourage the reporting of hazards, unsafe conditions, incidents and near misses. Relevant findings are reviewed so that risk assessments, working methods, training and future project planning can be improved.
Standards and legislation
Our safety arrangements are developed with regard to applicable UK legislation and recognised industry guidance, including:
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974;
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
- Work at Height Regulations 2005;
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, where applicable;
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, where applicable;
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998;
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, as amended in 2022;
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002;
- Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, where applicable;
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as amended;
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, where applicable; and
- Recognised industry good practice for industrial rope access.
Plan Your Project Safely
Contact AERTRUS LTD to discuss your site, access requirements and project-specific safety considerations.