Yes.

Section 3.1.3 of SPRAT’s Safe Practices for Rope Access Work states: “Policies and procedures shall be consistent with requirements of the presiding regulatory authority related to the work environment to ensure that such requirements are followed by all rope access technicians when conducting work.”

Section 3.1.4 further clarifies the previous clause, stating: “Where a presiding regulatory authority has requirements that are stricter than this standard, those requirements shall be followed.”

SPRAT’s Regulatory Authority Committee maintains a Presiding Regulatory Authority Reference to assist conducting work involving rope access and other forms of fall protection in accordance with the presiding regulatory authority.

For example, within the United States, rope access is covered by OSHA fall protection regulations:

As stated in the Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 223 on page 82569, “In the final rule, OSHA added language to the definition of RDS expressly specifying that RDS do not include industrial rope access systems (IRAS) § 1910.21(b). As such, final § 1910.27 does not cover or apply to IRAS. However, other sections of the final rule, including § 1910.28, do cover IRAS.”

29 CFR § 1910.28(a)(1) states that: “…the employer must ensure …fall protection systems required by this section meet the criteria of § 1910.140.

29 CFR § 1910.140 provides requirements for personal fall protection systems, including requirements for gate strength of connectors and carabiners 29 CFR § 1910.140(c)(8) and anchorages 29 CFR § 1910.140(c)(13).