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Ontario Moves to Regulate Rope Access Work at Heights
Proposed rules would require certification, inspections and Ministry notice across window washing, construction and farming
Published: July 8, 2026
Ontario is proposing a new stand-alone regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act that would set out training, inspection, reporting and due diligence rules for rope access systems used to work at heights in the window washing, construction and farming sectors. The rules would mark the first time rope access procedures are specifically addressed in an OHSA regulation, replacing the current authorization found in the window washing regulation and clearing the way for these systems on construction and farming sites. Under the proposal, both workers and their on-site supervisors would need certification through either IRATA or SPRAT before performing rope access tasks, and employers would be responsible for confirming workers are qualified, ensuring ropes and anchors are regularly inspected and compliant, keeping trained rescuers on site, and notifying the Ministry at least 24 hours before any rope access work begins. Employers would also have to prepare risk assessments, written rescue procedures and site-specific work plans, while workers would maintain a personal log of their at-height experience, signed off by supervisors, that travels with them from job to job. The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is inviting public feedback until August 21, 2026, and the regulation would not cover arborists, emergency responders, or mountaineering and recreational climbing instructors, since those activities are already governed by other legislation.
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