Nota Bene:In order to have a safe work environment it is important to not only know safe work practices, but to understand the reason for any safety rule. There also needs to be safety drills. But knowing and understanding safety rules is not enough. Workers need to be trained to stop work often and go over work procedures. Unless workers are trained to stop work, look and listen, all the safety rules in the world are useless.
SPRAT Certified:In 2017 SPRAT certified our crew leader employees: The Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) is a member-driven organization that advances the safe use of rope access through education, developing standards, and administering certifications. SPRAT also supports companies and technicians using rope access with regulatory support, networking, and opportunities to participate in developing industry-consensus standards.
ICRR Certified: In 2016 Continental Chimney developed a membership training course and organization called I.C.R.R. Industrial Chimney Rescue And Rigging. I.C.R.R. was established because there was a need for a safety organization that addressed the specific problems on industrial chimneys. Organizations such as SPRAT are not qualified to preform safe operations on industrial chimneys in the way ICRR is, they are not trained to be “site specific”. In order to join members must be employed by an industrial chimney repair company for over 10 years and have at least 5 years consecutive experience preforming chimney work and rigging. Listed Members agree to abide by a code for safe industrial chimney rigging and agree not to work with others who will not follow after the same code. The basic code rules dictate the following:
- Know how and when to stop work regularly for safety evaluations and to prevent accidets.
- Have a working knowledge of how to rig on chimneys to be always tied off at all times in such a way so as not to be able to fall into a chimney. [Being tied in at all times means the job will appear to go slower, but in reality, the job goes faster. Once there is an accident no work can take place and the direction the job takes is reverse. Everything must be reevaluated before work can start again.]
- Have a working knowledge on how to keep all tools timed in at all times. [When something is not tied in, it is only a matter of time before it comes lose and gravity takes control over it.]
- Have a working knowledge of how to keep all materials safely contained.
- Have good communication rules and plans.
- Have a working rescue plan, training, and experience to bringing a man out of a chimney flue, the top of the chimney, clean out door, or through breaching ductwork with a man basket.
- Understand and have experience with different flue gases in chimneys, how to test for them and how to work around them.
- Demonstrate a superior knowledge of Industrial Chimney problems and solutions in regard to safety and rigging.
- Have an ongoing working knowledge and discussions on First Aid.
- Have rescue practice on a chimney or similar structure at least once a month.
- Understand the OSHA guidelines as to how they apply directly and indirectly to rigging chimneys and related chimney safety.
- Actively work with an active licensed U.S.A. professional engineer who is able to give recommendations and guidelines for work on industrial chimneys. The engineer’s name shall be submitted with the application for license reflecting the engineer’s experience with chimneys and stacks as well as a working experience with ASCE CHIMNEY & STACK INSPECTION GUIDELINES STANDARD (or similar material) and the OSHA SCAFFOLD STANDARDS.
SAFETY RECORD: Continental Chimney does not have an accident record with OSHA.


