Suspended at the end of a climbing harness, the roper is a construction worker who seems to perform perilous acrobatics but actually possesses the dual competence of the trade he practices and the specificity of the conditions in which he performs it. Needless to say, he is in excellent physical condition.
This qualified technician works at heights to carry out various missions such as building inspections, masonry repairs, maintenance of buildings of which caulking is a part.
An update on a changing profession in Quebec.
Rope caulking (Photo: Vertical Solutions)
The trade of ropeist
The roper is a technician with specific qualifications. As part of his profession, he is required to take charge of work at substantial heights and/or in hard-to-reach places.
It carries out its missions without using conventional professional equipment such as scaffolding, pods or other elevation devices usually used for work at heights.
Safety first!
This profession is strictly supervised in terms of security conditions. Although there is no specific training in Quebec, there are certifications such as SPRAT and IRATA. The main objective of these certification processes is to establish knowledge and skills related to rope-supporting work.
The professional must equip himself with a shorts (alpine harness), a helmet and a specific “hardware” to keep his tools attached to the harness. Safety and efficiency require, he must possess physical skills (strength and endurance) in addition to his technical skills in the field of construction.
Checking and repairing masonry seal on rope. (Photo: Vertical Solutions)
The cordist specializing in the renovation and renovation of buildings is called upon for various missions, all of which have one thing in common: they take place in extreme conditions – height or inaccessible spaces, usually in front, but sometimes also in unlikely places such as the interior of industrial chimneys or on metal structures such as the Champlain Bridge.
You can recruit a roper to maintain the cladding, clean, renovate the joints and sealing of caulking,restore the cornices or masonry, secure the openings …
In any case, one thing must be remembered: the roper is often an excellent craftsman in his construction trade, a climbing enthusiast or even a mountaineer and be careful in his interventions.
