If you want to repair wind turbine blades in the US, you'll soon run into the SPRAT vs IRATA question. Blade postings ask for rope access certification, and two schemes dominate. SPRAT is the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians, based in North America. IRATA is the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, based in the UK and recognized worldwide. Both train you to work on rope safely, but they differ in how quickly you can level up and how far the card will travel with you.
Here's how they compare on the points that matter for a wind career, plus a decision table at the end.
Why wind techs need rope access in the first place
General turbine service happens inside the tower and nacelle, on fixed ladders with fall arrest. The blade is different. The BLS describes blade repair as rappelling down from the nacelle to the damaged section. That makes rope access the main credential for blade inspection and repair, and it's also useful for exterior tower work.
GWO Basic Safety Training teaches working at height and rescue, but it doesn't certify you to rig and work on two-rope systems as your job. That's the gap SPRAT and IRATA fill. For the GWO side of things, see our GWO Basic Safety Training guide.
SPRAT vs IRATA side by side
| Factor | SPRAT | IRATA |
|---|---|---|
| Home base | North America | UK; recognized across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia |
| Levels | Three (I, II, III) | Three (1, 2, 3) |
| Typical course | 5 days, about 40 hours: 4 days training plus 1 day evaluation | 5 days: training plus independent assessment day |
| Who evaluates | A SPRAT-appointed evaluator; written and practical tests | Independent assessor; practical and theory |
| To reach Level 2 | 500 hours and 6 months as Level I | 1,000 hours and 12 months as Level 1 |
| To reach Level 3 | 500 hours as Level II | 1,000 hours as Level 2 |
| Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Early renewal | Recertify within 6 months of expiry; new card runs 3 years from old expiry date | Revalidate within 180 days of expiry; new card runs 3 years from old expiry date |
| Proof of experience | Documented hours; direct entry to Level II or III possible with pre-approval | Hours recorded in an IRATA logbook, brought to the course |
The SPRAT numbers come from US training providers: TEEX for course structure and level timing, and Gravitec for the Level 2 requirements of 500 hours plus six months. Renewal timing is from SPRAT's own FAQ. The IRATA numbers come from IRATA, which sets the three-year renewal, and from UK provider Lyon, which lists the 1,000 hours and 12 months for Level 2. The exact rules sit in each body's official requirements document and can change, so check them before you book.
Hours and progression: the biggest practical difference
For a US wind tech, the most important row in that table is hours to Level 2. Blade employers want Level 2 or 3 for anyone working without close supervision. The GEV Wind Power posting we reviewed required Level 2 or 3 outright. An Aerones senior posting required Level 3.
A blade season runs from spring through early fall with long weeks. One federal seasonal job order showed 54 hours a week from April through September. Not every hour on site counts as rope time, though. You log hours actually spent working on rope, and a lot of a blade day goes to rigging, prep, curing and weather holds. Realistically:
- SPRAT's 500 hours is reachable for many techs within one busy season of actual rope work. The six-month minimum still applies.
- IRATA's 1,000 hours often takes two seasons for someone working only in wind, and the 12-month minimum is fixed regardless.
Whichever you choose, keep your logbook carefully. Get every job signed by your supervisor while you're still on site, not three months later from memory.
What US wind employers actually ask for
US blade postings tend to treat the two as interchangeable:
- GEV Wind Power asks for SPRAT or IRATA Level 2 or 3.
- Aerones asks for SPRAT or IRATA Level 3 on its senior US rope access role.
- A recruiter posting for US wind blade work asked for "SPRAT or IRATA certified technicians" at Level 3.
- Global Wind Service listed IRATA (Level 1, 2 or 3) as its rope access requirement for a US and Canada blade role.
So inside the US, either card usually gets you in the door. The differences show up at the edges: certain employers, and anyone planning to work abroad.
If offshore or international wind is on your list
IRATA describes its qualifications as recognized globally. A training college that teaches both, Keyano College, places IRATA as the governing scheme in the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, and SPRAT in North America. European turbine OEMs and offshore blade contractors mostly come from IRATA territory. If you can picture yourself working on a North Sea project or following blade contracts abroad, IRATA is the safer long-term choice.
Our offshore vs onshore comparison covers whether offshore wind is worth planning around in the first place.
What a bad first pick actually costs you
Choosing the "wrong" scheme is rarely a disaster, but it does cost you in ways you can predict. Most of the cost is time, not course fees.
- Hours don't automatically transfer. Each scheme tracks its own hours and logbook. If you work two seasons as SPRAT Level I and then switch to IRATA, you'll need to talk to an IRATA training provider about how your documented experience counts before you assume you can skip Level 1.
- Renewal dates add up. Both cards last three years. Holding both means two renewal evaluations to schedule around your work season, plus GWO refreshers on their own cycle.
- Unemployed time weakens your skills. Rope skills are perishable. If you certify and then go months without rope work, expect to need refresher training before an employer trusts you on a blade.
The fix is simple: decide what your first two years in wind look like, then pick the card that fits them. If you can't picture it yet, take the one your first employer pays for or prefers.
Logbook habits that protect your hours
Whatever you choose, your logbook is what proves your hours, and sloppy logbooks hold up more promotions than failed evaluations. Good habits:
- Record each job the day you work it: site, task, rope time and the techniques used, such as rescues, rope transfers and deviations.
- Get your supervisor's signature before you leave the site. Tracking down a Level 3 from last season is hard.
- Photograph every completed page and store the photos off your phone.
- Log only real rope time. Evaluators know what a blade day looks like, and inflated hours put your card at risk.
Can you hold both?
Yes. Plenty of rope techs carry both cards, and some US training centers schedule SPRAT and IRATA sessions in the same week. The costs to plan for are a second evaluation, keeping two renewal dates straight, and keeping two separate logbooks. A good approach is to start with the scheme that matches your first job and add the other once you have hours, so you aren't paying for two Level 1 courses before you've worked a single rope hour.
Watch for this: Getting certified is not the same as being hired. Employers often hesitate to hire brand-new Level 1 techs with no field hours, and real 200-foot drops feel very different from a 20 to 30-foot training tower. Pair your Level 1 with something else an employer needs, such as composite skills, GWO BST, or a wind service background.
SPRAT vs IRATA decision table
| Your situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US onshore blade work, want Level 2 fast | SPRAT | Half the hours and half the minimum time to Level II |
| Planning offshore or overseas wind | IRATA | Wider international recognition |
| Target employer lists only one scheme | That one | Match the posting; don't argue with HR |
| Already hold one from another industry | Keep it | Most US wind blade ads accept either |
| Using VA education benefits | Check the provider | TEEX lists only SPRAT Level 1 as VA-eligible |
Bottom line
For most US wind techs getting into blade work, SPRAT is the practical first card. US blade contractors accept it, and its 500-hour, six-month path gets you to Level 2 sooner. If offshore or international work is a real part of your plan, start with IRATA and accept the slower climb. Either way, confirm the requirements with the employer you're targeting before you pay, and keep a signed logbook from your first day on rope.