The exercises are:

1. Travel restraint
   • Candidate establishes and uses travel restraint system near an unprotected edge.
2. Overhead self-retracting devices
   • Candidate transitions between an overhead self-retracting device and another fall arrest system.
3. Ladder climb systems
   • Candidate transitions between a ladder climb system and another fall arrest system.
4. Horizontal lifeline system
   • Candidate transitions between horizontal lifeline system and another fall arrest system.
5. Energy absorbing lanyards and backup system (vertical lifeline)
   • Candidate transitions between energy absorbing lanyards and backup system.
6. Energy absorbing lanyards and rope access system in descent mode
   • Candidate transitions between energy absorbing lanyards and descent mode.

Examples of successful completion of the exercises required for the fall protection certification may be found here. Ensure closed captioning is on to view exercise descriptions.

Yes.
A fall protection evaluation may be conducted during the same day as a rope access evaluation. Only one evaluation may be administered at a time.

3 years.
Similar to the rope access certifications, re-certifications completed within 6 months prior to expiration of a current certification are valid for three years from the expiration date of that certification.

$100 per candidate.
The fall protection certification will have a fee of $100 for any candidate.

No.
The certification is separate from SPRAT’s rope access certification.

Yes.
Any observations made during one evaluation will have no bearing on grading of another. Similarly, a candidate that failed a rope access evaluation would be able to participate in a fall protection evaluation on the same day.

An estimated 1-2 days.
Like SPRAT’s rope access certification, the training requirements for the fall protection certification are objective-based and SPRAT will not dictate a time requirement. The fall protection certification program has been designed with the expectation that all material could be covered within two days of training. Due to the similarity of concepts, if combined with a rope access course, it is believed that the fall protection concepts could be trained with one additional day of training.

No.
SPRAT’s Fall Protection Certification Requirements states that “while ensuring prompt rescue from fall protection systems is a requirement of a fall protection plan, partner rescue is outside the scope of this standard.”

SPRAT’s Regulatory Assistance Committee has developed the Presiding Regulatory Authority Reference as a supplement for the membership and for the fall protection certification program. When coupled with the site fall protection plan requirements, which include fall protection system and equipment usage, regulatory requirements are taken into account as part of the grading of the fall protection certification exercises.

.

Yes.
There are additional site requirements to be able to host a fall protection evaluation, such as climbing structures and fall protection equipment. This information is available in SPRAT’s Fall Protection Evaluation Guidelines.
There are no additional administrative requirements within SPRAT’s system. Completion of the annual host agreement and maintenance of insurance documentation within SPRAT’s online system allows an Evaluation Session Host to host both rope access and fall protection evaluations. This general hosting information is available HERE.

No.
An Evaluator must complete additional requirements for their appointment to include allowance for administering a fall protection evaluation. SPRAT’s online system will be modified to warn Evaluation Session Hosts if an Evaluator has not yet completed requirements to administer a fall protection evaluation.

Follow SPRAT’s Process to Become an Evaluator
To control program growth initially, only current evaluators and evaluator candidates will be eligible to become appointed fall protection evaluators. In addition to the detailed process, Evaluators must also attend a webinar and a  workshop to be eligible to administer fall protection evaluations. In the future, SPRAT may consider offering a pathway for Evaluator appointments solely for administering fall protection sessions.

No.
Similar to the establishment of SPRAT’s rope access certification, for the initial development of this program, an Evaluator does not need to be independent of the candidates in a fall protection session. This decision has been made to facilitate the initial growth of this certification area, in consideration of the economic viability of the program, and to accommodate the potential additional demand for Evaluators.

Two.
An Evaluator may conduct two fall protection evaluations in one day for a total of 16 candidates. However, if the Evaluator is also conducting a rope access evaluation, they may only conduct one fall protection evaluation on the same day.