How we build Visitor Project Rope Bridge Projects
Treehouse Life Ltd. offers unique, adventure-filled Rope Bridges that combine thrill with safety, designed for leisure use without the need for active safety systems, belays, or specialised training. Our rope bridges create memorable experiences in a supported environment, ensuring ease of use for all participants. The design minimizes physical challenges, with only a simple entrance and exit platform, making them an accessible and enjoyable attraction for families, visitors, and adventure seekers alike.
Though not legally bound by EN 15567 - specific to high ropes courses with belay systems - Treehouse Life Ltd. upholds high standards in health and safety by referencing this European Ropes Course Standard as a general framework for the design, inspection, maintenance, and operation of our rope bridges. As both Constructors and supporters of our Clients (Operators), we’re committed to responsible practices that align with the latest safety considerations, ensuring a durable, enjoyable, and secure experience.
Our focus on compliance and safety makes our rope bridges suitable for a range of commercial or private applications, such as family attractions, parks, or private estates. Clients can be confident that our installations meet robust quality and safety benchmarks, designed and maintained to exceed expectations. Treehouse Life Ltd. brings decades of expertise in crafting world-class Rope Bridges that elevate any outdoor environment, aligning with adventure and leisure while prioritising user safety.
Project Guidance and Context
Treehouse Life Ltd. offers safe, accessible Rope Bridges designed for leisure, requiring no active safety systems, belay, or special training. Built with minimal physical challenges, our bridges align with EN 15567 standards as a guide, ensuring high safety, ease of use, and optimal durability for commercial and private use.
Advice for Rope Bridge projects such as Resorts, Adventure Parks, Schools or Trusts [National Trust, WWT, RSPB etc.]:
A Rope Bridge is a leisure activity within a safe/supported environment; it does not require participant active safety systems, belay or any specific training to use the facility. Other than possibly stepping onto and off an entrance platform there is minimal element of assault, obstacle, initiative or physical challenge.
It may be a sensible to consider this facility within the generic and overall context of EN 15567 in consideration of the obligations of Treehouse Life Ltd. [as Constructors] and you as our Client [as Operators], also as a framework for Inspections, Maintenance and Operation.
Compliance with the EN is NOT a legal requirement, nor is this EN relevant or specific to Rope Bridges - it is a European Ropes Course Standard relevant to High Ropes Courses and as such would normally rely upon a belay system, which DOES NOT apply to a Rope Bridge. However, it may be referred to as a guide by Health and Safety enforcing agencies when considering how a Constructor or Operator has discharged their health and safety duties.
Inaugural Inspection
Treehouse Life Ltd. recommends an inaugural inspection by an independent, professional Type A inspector (EN ISO/IET 17020) for rope bridges, though not mandatory. This inspection ensures impartial assessment with no commercial interest in the project, offering clients an unbiased safety validation backed by independent liability insurance.
Although NOT mandatory for a Rope Bridge, before it is used an inaugural inspection should take place. This should only be done by a completely independent and professional inspector [classified as a Type A inspector, as defined by EN ISO/IET 17020].
By definition, such an inspector will have no commercial interest in the construction or maintenance of the project, nor any fiduciary interest in the facility to be inspected. They must also have their own public liability insurance for such work.
Routine visual check - every day
Treehouse Life Ltd. recommends daily visual checks by Operators before opening a Rope Bridge. Key assessments include inspecting walkway appearance, critical components, cleanliness, ground conditions, and identifying sharp edges, missing parts, or wear. Performed by trained personnel, these checks ensure optimal safety and performance for every use.
This should be carried out before opening of the Rope Bridge each day of use by the Operators.
This involves a visual check of critical components, an assessment of the general appearance of the walkway and the surrounding environment . An appropriately trained person will normally do this.
Examples of visual checks and operational inspection are cleanliness, condition of ground and walkway surfaces, sharp edges, missing components and excessive wear [of any elements and/or moving parts].
Operational Inspection - every 1-3 months
Treehouse Life Ltd. advises Rope Bridge Operators to conduct inspections every 1-3 months, checking cleanliness, ground condition, structural integrity, and wear on steel cables, rigging screws, wire grips, and other elements. Inspections also assess for animal damage, vandalism, damaged or low branches, debris, and trip hazards, ensuring safety and optimal function.
This should be carried by the Operator every 1-3 months.
Examples of visual checks and operational inspection are cleanliness, condition of ground and walkway surface, sharp edges, missing components, excessive wear [of any elements and/or moving parts] and the structural integrity of the whole system specifically including whole steel cable elements.
Specifically steel cables, wire grips and ferrules, shackles, thimbles, rigging screws, steel wire wear or animal damage of ropes or netting, any change in the nature/appearance of timbers, any vandalism or tampering, damaged branches, low hanging branches, any unexpected or inappropriate activity, rubbish, trip-hazard branches or undergrowth. An appropriately trained person will normally do this.
Maintenance
Treehouse Life Ltd. emphasises the importance of regular inspections linked with maintenance for optimal rope bridge safety. Operators can handle minor maintenance during routine checks, while significant tasks—like replacing or tensioning cables, ropes, netting, and structural components—are best managed by Treehouse Life Ltd. experts for durability and reliability.
Inspections and maintenance are intrinsically linked. Minor maintenance is often best carried out by the Operator during the routine visual and operational inspection.
For more significant maintenance, it is advised that Treehouse Life Ltd. must carry out the replacement and tensioning of cables/netting/ropes and replacement of poles/platforms/timbers.
Working at Height Regulations [WAHR] and Inspections
Treehouse Life Ltd. advises Operators on awareness of Working at Height Regulations (WAHR) for rope bridge inspections. Routine checks involve participant-level use, with risk assessments and safety measures in place. Other inspections or maintenance may require WAHR practices, including PPE, climbing harnesses, and dual-rope techniques, ensuring safe working practices by qualified inspectors.
Although Working at Height may not be relevant to your project given its height above ground and/or water, but an awareness and understanding of such regulations is helpful to working practices, Method Statements and practical skill-sets.
During routine visual checks inspection you should use the Rope Bridge as participants and that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been carried out with any necessary control measures in place.
During all other forms of inspections, maintenance and construction then practices consistent with the WAHR may be required. This may include the use of climbing harnesses and other PPE and may involve the use of dual rope techniques. It is beyond the scope of this document to provide the details of WAHR and maintenance techniques but inspectors should be conversant with these regulations before carrying out their work.