Goto > ERCA certified inspection bodies

Inspection

For all stationary ropes courses (i.e. high ropes courses, low ropes courses on poles, in trees or also in buildings), two different types of ropes course inspections apply:

• Inaugural inspections of newly built ropes courses or inspections of ropes courses which have been rebuilt or modified
• Regularly recurring or annual inspections

Criteria for these inspections can be found in ERCA’s Professional Standards and the EN 15567:2007.

ERCA certify inspection bodies in Europe who check that ropes courses meet ERCA’s current Professional Safety Standards as well as the current European Norm EN 15567:2007 (as soon as it will have been published). They are entitled to award ERCA inspection certificates to ropes courses which have met all respective safety standards without fail.

ERCA will continuously assess inspection bodies against specific quality management criteria. As part of the assessment of the suitability of inspection bodies, ERCA thoroughly evaluates candidates against the following criteria:

• Professional knowledge, expertise and qualifications as well as practical experience of inspectors
• Impartiality in the context of their work as professional inspectors
• Existence of relevant and valid insurance policies

ERCA Certified Inspection Bodies

About Certification

The ERCA certification process has been developed to provide and further enhance a long lasting service that is of high quality and reliability.

Description

ERCA certified inspection bodies are ERCA members. To become certified, they apply to ERCA in writing. As part of the process, they have to describe their professional background, qualifications and experience. They must also describe the structure of their organisation and the quality assurance system they use in order to guarantee the provision of a safe, robust and long-lasting inspection service. In addition, they need to provide evidence of other key aspects such as relevant and valid insurance policies.

An ERCA coordinator leads and coordinates all certification processes. He or she informs ERCA’s Executive Team and is accountable to the Executive Team and to relevant working parties within ERCA. For important decisions, the coordinator will need to gain the approval from the Executive Team and from relevant ERCA working parties.

Have a look for the list of ERCA certified inspection bodies. 

If you are interested in training please check the list of ERCA certified training bodies.

The ERCA office will coordinate and administer the award of certificates to certify inspection bodies. If you have any questions regarding the certification process, please contact the ERCA office. Email:

Goto > ERCA certified training bodies

Training

A certification system for ERCA training bodies was established in 2009. Training courses are under constant review in order that delivery adequately reflects industry requirements.

Working fields are:

• Adventureparks (abbr.: AP)
• Traditional Ropes Course (abbr.: TradRC)
• Temporary Ropes Course (abbr.: TempRC)

ERCA certified training bodies currently provide the following courses for Adventure Parks and Traditional Ropes Courses:

• ERCA Instructor (AP) (specifically self-belay or continuous belay or interactive safety system)
• ERCA Instructor (TradRC)
• ERCA Site Specific Instructor
• ERCA Site Specific Rescuer
• ERCA Generic Rescuer

And for Temporary Ropes Courses:

• ERCA Low Ropes Course Instructor (TempRC)
• ERCA High Ropes Course Instructor (TempRC)

Read more: Flyer ERCA training

These training courses cover the main functions required to operate a RC safely. Site Specific Instructor Courses for permanent ropes courses are only to be delivered at sites where the number and type of activities mean that a full instructor training course cannot be delivered.

If the ropes course venue meets the requirements of the training syllabus then the full instructor syllabus must always be trained.

 The ERCA Instructor Training Award Schemes do not cover inspections; however, accessing techniques are covered within the schemes. The ERCA standards provide a good source of reference for those professionals working in these areas.

ERCA itself delivers courses to become the "ERCA Trainer" (AP or tradRC)

Read more about the ERCA Trainer award: Steps to become an ERCA Trainer

ERCA Certified Training Bodies

Training Bodies who have been audited in terms of quality and competence and certified by ERCA are listet on that page. The certified Training bodies are authorised to to issue ERCA-instructor certificates.
Training courses cover the main functions required to operate a RC safely. Training courses do not currently cover the skills required to perform operational inspections or for those involved in RC management. If ERCA believes there is a demand from operators to provide training in these areas, then this can be considered in due course. At present the ERCA standards provide a good source of reference for those professionals working in these areas. There are also other tasks (e.g. inaugural inspections and periodic maintenance) which are adequately provided by other parties.
Please contact the companies listed below for further information or visit "Training Offers" for announced training courses.

Training and Inspection

As a European Association, ERCA formulates safety standards for ropes courses. The overall aim of the Association is to enhance the quality and safety of ropes courses. Many members are experts in the ropes course industry (i.e. construction firms, inspectors, operators and trainers). For years, ERCA has been actively involved in important committees to advance professional practice, such as the development of a European Norm for ropes courses.

ERCA’s longstanding active involvement in safety aspects and the nature and quality of its membership means that ERCA combines an established professional structure and wide-ranging expertise in the ropes course field. ERCA is therefore in a strong position to develop and successfully implement a high quality certification process across different areas of expertise in the ropes course industry.

ERCA certified Inspection Bodies

An important part of ensuring that ropes courses are technically and operationally safe is that qualified inspection bodies carry out a standardised inspection process. This is why ERCA has developed a certification process for inspection bodies. For the first time, ropes course operators will be in the position to have their ropes courses checked by an ERCA certified inspection body, as an inaugural safety inspection or as an recurring safety inspection process once the ropes course is operational.

ERCA certified Training Bodies

In addition ERCA has certified training bodies carrying out training courses for ropes course instructors according to the ERCA standards. Instructors who passed a training course succesfully will receive an ERCA certificate.