Petzl America Technical Workshops
Focusing on Petzl’s commitment to provide quality education to our customers, Petzl America has created a series of professional training programs that explore innovative work-at-height and rescue solutions for the vertical environment.
These training sessions are designed specifically for professional sales and customer service representatives, specialized trainers, safety specialists and work-at-height and rescue consultants seeking greater knowledge on equipment performance and rope-based system solutions.
The goal of these workshops is to provide participants with a better understanding of rope access solutions through interactive knowledge sharing and hands-on training.
Petzl technical workshops are held in a modern classroom and training facility. The courses are delivered by top product specialists and industry-leading trainers and field experts. Static and dynamic equipment testing capability is available, and participants will have the opportunity to become more familiar with equipment manufacturing processes and quality controls. Instructors use of top-of-the-line equipment during the courses and offer comprehensive reference materials to participants.
Technical Workshop Instructors and Courses
- Instructors
- Application and Waiver download
- Multi-Discipline Workshop
- Industrial Rope Access
- Arborist Climbing and Rescue
- PPE Inspection
- High-Angle Rescue
- Confined Space Rescue
- Tower Access and Rescue
- Tactical Rope Access
Instructors
The quality of an educational program is primarily defined by the experience, knowledge, skill level, and enthusiasm of its instructors. All Petzl workshops are lead by top product specialist and industry leading trainers and field experts.
Jared Abrojena
Born into Arborculture, Jared Abrojena became a second-generation certified arborist and treeworker for his family-operated company Evergreen Tree Care. Beginning to climb at 8 years old, Jared started to compete in the Western Chapter tree climbing competition at 15. Since then he has competed in the chapter level on a consistent basis and has represented the Western Chapter ISA six times at the International Tree Climbing Competition. In 2009, he won the ITCC title, bringing the title back to the Western Chapter for the first time in 27 years. Jared Abrojena also serves as owner and instructor of ClimbSmart training in California. As well as being his profession, climbing and tree care is also his passion.
Steve Crandall
Owner, operator and head instructor for Heavy Rescue Training LLC, Steve Crandall has been involved in the rescue world for more than two decades. Starting as a member of a wilderness-based search and rescue team in the eighties, he responded to numerous call-outs and attended many trainings in rope rescue, swift water rescue, dive rescue, backcountry search procedures, helicopter operations, etc. Mr. Crandall currently serves as a Captain on the SLCFD Heavy Rescue Team. During his fire service career, he has served as a firefighter, paramedic, tactical/SWAT medic, and recruit school trainer/instructor. He is a rescue specialist, heavy rigger, rescue squad officer and FEMA certified safety officer with the Utah Task Force One FEMA/Urban Search and Rescue team and serves on the Rescue Working Group Advisory Committee.
Luke Glines
After obtaining advanced degrees in Theology, Luke found his calling high up in the trees. He has operated a tree care business for 12 years and is a four-time Rocky Mountain Tree Climbing Champion. A quintessential gear head, Luke is always seeking new uses of equipment in the art of tree climbing.
Dave Nettle
Dave Nettle is currently the Technical Director and Lead Trainer for Skala, a leading provider of rope access and rescue training, equipment and services. Dave has been with Skala for 8 years and brings more than 30 years of experience working and playing at height. Dave has been instrumental in developing Skala’s rope access and rescue training. He has developed and instructed custom rope access courses for organizations such as the US Bureau of Reclamation and Cirque du Soleil. Dave is currently certified as a Level 3 technician to both SPRAT (Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians) and IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) organizations. He also serves as a SPRAT Evaluator and holds an IRATA Trainer qualification.
Rick Vance
Rick Vance, Petzl America’s Technical Information Manager, is a V.axess- certified PPE inspector and inspection course trainer with a mechanical engineering background. Rick has extensive experience in the vertical world as a climber and mountaineer, and knowledge of PPE systems in a wide variety of industrial and rescue settings.
Download Schedule Application and Waiver 
To register, please download and complete the application form and submit it by fax to Nate Williams at:(801) 926-1558 or by email at: training@petzl.com
Technical Workshops
MULTI-DISCIPLINE WORKSHOP MD100112
This three-day workshop offers awareness-level training to a broad range of vertical endeavors including: Tactical Rope Access, Industrial Rope Access, High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Arborist techniques, Tower Access & Rescue (see specific course descriptions for details). This training is ideal for dealers and trainers who provide equipment and consulting services to a variety of markets. Participants will receive a minimum of 4 hours of product education and hands-on training for each of the four disciplines of their choice. This program will also include in-depth product knowledge sessions for top selling products and equipment testing demonstrations.
Instructors: Steve Crandall, Dave Nettle, Jared Abrojena
INDUSTRIAL ROPE ACCESS Available upon request
This workshop will cover technical rope access skills and the equipment needed to perform various maneuvers to access vertical environments and perform work-at-height. It will also focus on how a limited amount of equipment can be used to accomplish a variety of tasks. Skills to be taught during this workshop include: basic ascending / descending, changeovers from ascent to descent and vice-versa, knot passing, rope-to-rope transfers, moving through deviations and rebelays, horizontal aid climbing, and pick-off rescues. Drop tests will be performed to demonstrate the strengths and limitations of key pieces of equipment.
Instructor: Dave Nettle
ARBORIST CLIMBING & RESCUE Available upon request
Workshop participants will learn about advanced tree-climbing systems that make tree climbing safer, easier, and more efficient. Topics will include single rope and double rope techniques, limb walking, and climbing rope installation / retrieval. Basic concepts of physics and mechanical advantage will be introduced as they relate to climbing systems. Arborist ascent and aerial rescue techniques will also be covered. Drop tests will be performed to demonstrate the strengths and limitations of key pieces of equipment.
Instructors: Jared Abrojena & Luke Glines
PPE Inspection - Competent Person PPE050712 / 101512
This 3-day course will cover all aspects of care, maintenance, and inspection of Personal Protective Equipment. Participants will be taught practical techniques and procedures required to conduct thorough examinations, produce inspection reports, and specify corrective action when needed. Considerations for creating a management system for tracking life safety equipment will also be covered. The last portion of this course will include both a written and practical exam. Students who pass the exam will receive a PPE Inspection – Competent Person certification.
PPE Inspection - Trainer Module PPE051012 / 101812
(Prerequisite: Competent Person certifications - see above)
Instructor for both courses: Rick Vance
HIGH-ANGLE RESCUE HA091812
The High Angle Rescue workshop will cover the benefits and limitations of rope-based rescue solutions by getting participants involved with the equipment and professional techniques used to access high angle rescue operations. Participants will be able to practice their individual belaying, rappelling and ascending skills, but will also have the opportunity to learn technical lowering, pick-offs, highline rescue techniques, and a variety of mechanical advantage hauling techniques and systems in a team setting.
Instructor: Steve Crandall
CONFINED SPACE RESCUE CS092012
This workshop concentrates on rope-based skills needed to perform access and rescues in complex confined-space environments. Permit required confined spaces and their associated hazards will briefly be discussed, but the focus of this workshop will be on the proper use of rigging equipment to access, stabilize, and extricate a casualty. Both entry and non-entry rescue scenarios will be practiced. Participants will learn a variety of ways for rigging integral and detachable lowering / raising systems.
Instructor: Steve Crandall
TOWER ACCESS & RESCUE Available Upon Request
This workshop will focus on safe tower access and rescue procedures. Participants will learn proper ladder / tower climbing techniques as well as fall protection and work positioning methods. Rigging, hauling, and lowering systems will also be addressed. The program will also provide participants with an opportunity to learn and practice several different methods of accessing, stabilizing, and rescuing a worker who may be incapacitated or has fallen on their safety lanyard.
Instructor: Dave Nettle
TACTICAL ROPE ACCESS TAC040912
Participants will have the opportunity to test drive Petzl descent control devices such as the tactical EXO system and learn more about how to ascend and position partners with this device. Rapid ascending, descending and switchovers will be covered on other lightweight Petzl equipment. Roof-top operations such as the set-up of releasable anchor systems as well as rigging lowering and raising systems using Petzl’s S.O.S. kit will also be addressed.
Instructor: Steve Crandall
