The Australian Standards layer: AS/NZS ISO 22846

The current Australian and New Zealand standard for rope access systems is AS/NZS ISO 22846, which sets out the code of practice and fundamental principles for rope access systems. This standard formally superseded the earlier AS/NZS 4488, and it now governs equipment specifications, selection, use and maintenance of materials and hardware for rope-based access work in Australia. Related standards include AS/NZS 1891 for industrial fall arrest systems, EN 1891 for low-stretch kernmantle rope (the rope specification used by the MODE Smart Spider Pro Series), AS/NZS 1800 for industrial safety helmets and AS/NZS 1337 for eye and face protection. A PEARS® deployment using the MODE Smart Spider operates within these specifications, with 11mm EN1891 Type A static rope as standard.

International training bodies are not the standard

It is common to see conventional abseiling training bodies described as setting the standard. They do not. They are training organisations, well-known in their field, with curriculums focused on traditional non-mechanical rope work. IRATA, the international body associated with conventional abseiling, is a traditional and very popular training group whose system uses no mechanical lifting devices. It is not an Australian Standards-setting body and does not deliver training on powered elevation. The Australian Standards layer is set by Standards Australia through AS/NZS ISO 22846 and its related publications. Project compliance is judged against those standards, against the Safe Work Australia model framework, and against the work health and safety legislation in the relevant state, not against the training scheme of an international abseiling association.

The regulatory layer: work health and safety law

Above the Australian Standards sits work health and safety law. Safe Work Australia, working at heights publishes the model framework, which is then adopted with state-level variations across each jurisdiction. In NSW, work at height is regulated under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017. Similar provisions exist across Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, ACT and the Northern Territory, with minor variations in detail. Employers and PCBUs are required by law to control risks of falls from height, document the controls, and ensure workers are competent. The framework is risk-based rather than prescriptive: compliance is judged against whether the controls are appropriate to the hazard. PEARS® powered elevation operates inside this framework, with the standards-based equipment specifications and operator competency required to satisfy the legal test.

The project layer: SWMS and documented compliance

At project level, the practical instrument is the Safe Work Method Statement, supported by site-specific risk assessments, rescue plans, anchorage certifications and equipment inspection records. Each project also requires demonstrated operator competency, including a current white card, working at heights training and, for PEARS® deployments, MODE-specific familiarisation through the PEARS® Elevation Academy. A PEARS® SWMS documents the anchor selection methodology, rigging sequence, line management, two-line redundancy configuration, communication protocols, emergency descent and rescue procedures, material handling approach, and pre-use equipment checks. The safety and compliance framework on the SNL site sets this out in further detail.

Where PEARS® sits within the standards layer

PEARS® is the non-conventional mechanical access framework built around powered elevation. It operates under AS/NZS ISO 22846, with the MODE Smart Spider power elevator replacing the manual climbing component of conventional abseiling. The standards, the legal duties and the SWMS documentation continue to apply. What changes is the physical work and the operator's capacity to deliver it. CPR Group has applied this framework across more than 400 completed Australian façade projects. The track record covers ultra high-rise inspection (60 storey Meriton Towers), heavy material handling (12 tonnes of render removed and 12 tonnes reinstalled on Astoria, over 5 tonnes of rubble removed at a Blacktown property with jackhammers), and a wide range of remediation, maintenance and consultancy work. The standards framework supports all of this.

What to ask of a rope access contractor

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the Australian Standard for rope access?
  • AS/NZS ISO 22846 is the current Australian and New Zealand standard for rope access systems, setting the code of practice and fundamental principles. It superseded AS/NZS 4488.
  • Is rope access regulated in Australia?
  • Yes. Rope access is regulated through the relevant state-level work health and safety legislation, applied within the Safe Work Australia model framework, and aligned with AS/NZS ISO 22846.
  • Does using a powered ascender remove the need for a SWMS?
  • No. A Safe Work Method Statement is required for all rope-based access work, and it should specifically document the PEARS® powered elevation configuration, operator competencies, emergency procedures and rescue arrangements.
  • Who can operate a powered ascender in Australia?
  • Operation is restricted to Competent PEARS technicians with a current white card and working at heights training, plus manufacturer-specific MODE familiarisation through the PEARS® Elevation Academy.
  • Do international abseiling certifications meet Australian Standards?
  • International abseiling certifications are private training schemes, not Australian Standards. Compliance in Australia is judged against AS/NZS ISO 22846, the Safe Work Australia framework, and the work health and safety law in the relevant state.

PEARS® powered elevation sits inside the Australian Standards layer, the work health and safety regulatory layer and the project-level documentation layer. The standards, principles and project documentation all continue to apply. To discuss how PEARS® integrates with a specific project compliance package, speak to the SNL technical team.