QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Qualification Title
New Zealand Certificate in Industrial Rope Access (Level 3)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
59
NZSCED
040329 Architecture and Building > Building > Scaffolding and Rigging
DAS Classification
1820 Service Sector > Lifting Equipment > Industrial Rope Access
Strategic purpose
statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the industrial rope access sector
with people who have attained basic on-rope vertical skills using constructed
anchors.
This qualification is an entry point for people who aim to work in industrial
rope access roles such as rope access technicians, electricians with rope
access, and industrial abseilers. Rope access work may include inspection
and testing, maintenance and repair, cleaning and painting, geotechnical and
construction.
Rope access refers to safe methods of working at height where ropes and
associated equipment are used to gain access to and from the work place,
and to be supported there.
Graduates of this qualification will be capable of working under limited
supervision.
Outcome Statement
This qualification is aligned to the IRAANZ Certificate of Competency for
Level 3 Rope Access Operators.
Graduate
profile
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
 Prepare rope access equipment for work, and report equipment faults
 Set up and dismantle basic industrial rope access systems and carry
out elementary on-rope skills
 Comprehend and act on instructions, and communicate within a team
when setting up industrial rope access systems; and complete basic
workplace documentation
 Identify and adhere to health and safety requirements when using
ropes and associated equipment to gain access to and from, and be
suspended at, work sites
 Maintain personal safety while working at heights including the set up
and use fall arrest systems
 Carry out recovery.
Education
pathway
This qualification is the first step in the New Zealand industrial rope access
qualification pathway. It will prepare the candidate for entry into the New
Zealand Certificate in Industrial Rope Access (Level 4) [Ref: 2359].
Employment
pathway
Graduates of this qualification will be able to work for companies providing
industrial rope access services performing all common basic rope access
tasks.
Graduates may work on a variety of rope access sites for companies
performing basic rope access functions. They may increase employment
prospects by gaining experience in specialised areas and may also gain
employment in rigging.
Likely functions include:


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Wind turbine maintenance
Total building maintenance
Maintenance and installation of masts
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Qualification
Developer
Crane tower lifts
Window glazing
Steep terrain weeding.
The Skills Organisation
Qualification Specification
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by The Skills Organisation as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation arranging
training leading to the qualification under section 5 of the Industry Training
Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by a tertiary education organisation
(TEO) accredited under section 250 of the Education Act 1989 to deliver an
approved programme leading to this qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification includes the full
qualification title, the date of award, and the logos of The Skills Organisation,
the accredited TEO, and the NZQF.
As the qualification developer, The Skills Organisation will maintain a list of
graduates of this qualification. The TEO will annually report the names of all
graduates awarded the qualification to The Skills Organisation.
Review period
By 31 December 2019
Any person or organisation may contribute to the review of this qualification
by sending feedback to the qualification developer at
reviewcomments@skills.org.nz.
Evidence
requirements for
assuring
consistency
All TEOs either arranging training or delivering programmes that lead to the
award of the qualification are required to participate in a consistency process
scheduled by NZQA.
TEO’s are to provide evidence from the following sources that graduates
have gained the knowledge and skills contained in the qualification’s
graduate profile outcomes:

Regular monitoring of trainee progression within either the TEO or the
workplace including liaising with employers, teaching staff, training
supervisors and industry managers about the value of the training,
graduates, and qualification, to the business.

Feedback from major employers' associations, such as IRAANZ and
SARNZ, to determine the extent to which members involved in the rope
access industry are satisfied with the knowledge and skill level of
graduates.

Independent surveys of graduates and employers to determine if the
graduates are appropriate for the workplace.
 Review of results of a common assessment task.
Further information about the managing consistency process can be found on
the NZQA website.
For full details of The Skills Organisation evidence requirements for assuring
consistency, contact The Skills Organisation at: consistency@skills.org.nz
Credit transfer and
recognition of prior
learning
arrangements
TEOs delivering programmes that lead to the award of this qualification may
transfer credit and recognise prior learning in accordance with their own
credit recognition policies and procedures.
These policies and procedures, and information about associated fees, must
be available to the applicant prior to enrolment.
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To facilitate credit transfer, TEOs must clearly demonstrate the equivalency
or comparability between each of the outcomes in the graduate profile, and
the assessment components of their programmes.
Credit transfer will be automatic where standards on the Directory of
Assessment Standards are used for assessment within programmes of study
or training leading to this qualification.
Minimum standard
of achievement and
standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for the award of the
qualification will be:

achievement of all graduate outcomes in the graduate profile through
successful completion of an approved programme.

successful completion a common assessment task.
Prerequisites to
meet regulatory
body or legislative
requirements
Current workplace first aid certificate covering unit standards 26551, 26552
(or equivalent).
Other conditions
for qualification
To enroll in this qualification, it is expected that candidates will have existing
knowledge and skills in numeracy at a level that includes/exceeds what is
covered in unit standard 8489, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and
skills.
TEOs arranging training or delivering programmes towards this qualification
must ensure that the training arranged and programmes of learning delivered,
are kept up-to-date with regard to amendments to, and replacements of
relevant legislation, regulations and Australia/New Zealand Standards
(AS/NZS) and European standards EN1263-1 & EN2163-2.
Programmes leading to this qualification must reflect current industry best
practice as defined in the Industrial Rope Access in New Zealand: Best
Practice Guidelines (May 2012) or any Codes of Compliance or regulatory
documents that may supersede the Best Practice Guidelines.
Conditions relating to outcomes
Qualification Outcomes
(including indicative
credit values for each
outcome)
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
Prepare rope access
equipment for work, and
report equipment faults
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to:
Mandatory

inspect, maintain and use industrial rope access
equipment

report equipment faults

plan and prepare for basic industrial rope access
work
Credit 6
This outcome may be demonstrated through
assessment against the following unit standards:
19359
Optional
19360
Set up and dismantle basic
industrial rope access
systems and carry out
elementary on-rope skills
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to:

Mandatory
identify and attach to permanent and temporary
anchors
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Credit 20
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ascend, descend, perform basic transitions,
change ropes, re-belay, and traverse on ropes
This outcome may be demonstrated through
assessment against the following unit standards:
19361
Optional
19362
Comprehend and act on
instructions, and
communicate within a team
when setting up industrial
rope access systems; and
complete basic workplace
documentation
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to:

comprehend recorded workplace information,
verbal instruction, written or drawn specifications,
and signs

communicate both within a team and with outside
groups, workplace information using oral
communication, hand signals, written information,
and drawings

complete basic workplace documentation such as
timesheets, log books, work plan details, hazard
identification, control plans, task sheets, invoices,
control plans.
Credit 5
Identify and adhere to
health and safety
requirements when using
ropes and associated
equipment to gain access to
and from, and be
suspended at, work sites
Credit 5
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to:

Mandatory
Mandatory
identify and adhere to the Industrial Rope Access
in New Zealand: Best Practice Guidelines (May
2012)
This outcome must be demonstrated through
assessment against the following unit standard:
19358
Maintain personal safety
while working at heights
and set up and use fall
arrest systems
Credit 8
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to apply fall restraint in
rope access contexts and construct work restraint and
work positioning systems using rope access
equipment.
This outcome must be demonstrated through
assessment against the following unit standards:
Mandatory
23229
15757
including the following fall arrest/restraint systems:
–
Carry out recovery
Credit 15
work positioning system, fall arrest system in
restraint mode, proprietary horizontal or vertical
safety system, temporary horizontal or vertical
safety system.
Programme and assessment will include the
knowledge and skills required to:

plan, prepare patient and carry out simple patient
recovery using rope access systems

appropriate first aid and basic life support
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Mandatory
Page 4
This outcome must be demonstrated through
assessment against the following unit standard:
19363
Transition information
Replacement
information
This qualification replaces the National Certificate in Industrial Rope Access
(Elementary Rope Skills) (Level 3) [Ref: 1016]
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2016.
The last date to meet the requirements of the replaced qualification will be 31 December 2019 when
the qualification will be discontinued. From that date no results can be reported against the
qualification.
People currently working towards the replaced qualification may either complete the requirements by
31 December 2019 or transfer their results to the replacement qualification.
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