By CHRISTINE CHEAH
alltherage@thestar.com.my
Cleaning window panes and glass panels, replacing lamps and light bulbs might sound a mundane task to you, but for Mohd Adam Tun Tuah, this is his bread and butter. He gets out of bed every morning hoping to bring these tasks to new heights.
“I have been doing freelance rope access work for more than four years now, and I love what I do,” said Adam, 21, who is from Alor Setar, Kedah.
Adam’s job is one that few people are trained for. It involves using practical ropework to gain access to places that can’t be reached by scaffolding, cradles or any aerial work platforms.
For example, he has to use his rope access skills to help keep the window panes of the Petronas Twin Towers skybridge and KL Tower restaurant crystal clear.
There’s actually official training and certification for rope access professionals like Adam, given by the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) International. Adam is a certified IRATA International Level 1 rope access personnel. However, one does not need to have the official certification to perform rope access work.
Adam, who paid for his own IRATA International course fees (which cost RM4,000), emphasised the importance of certification.
“There are a lot of rope access companies in Malaysia, but there aren’t that many Malaysians doing the work. Most of them are usually foreigners.
“A foreign worker costs half of what you’d need to pay for a certified IRATA personnel and they would only have some basic training from the company that hired them,” he added.
The rope access industry in Malaysia, according to Adam, has to be more strict about qualifications and safety measures.
Despite the competition from foreign workers, Adam is still very much in love with climbing, which he has been doing since 2008.
“I first started climbing at a Rakan Muda event. I’ve been addicted to it ever since. Then I met Zamri Hamid, a former national climbing coach who trained me,” recalled Adam.
Upon completing secondary school, Adam decided on an outdoors career. He followed this call and applied to be a high rope technician at the SkyTrex Adventure Park, Shah Alam, Selangor.
“I was an average student and of course my parents encouraged me to further my studies. But I felt that I was just meant to be ‘out there’.
“My parents were sceptical at first because of the risks involved in my work, but as time passed, they saw it as a safe and well-paying job. They are fine now.”
As to whether he will continue doing rope access work in the future, Adam said he might be giving other similarly exciting outdoor jobs a try.
“My dream job is to be a commercial diver, but the course to obtain certification is extremely pricey. I’ll be doing this until I save enough money to take the course,” said Adam, adding that commercial diving is in high demand in the oil and gas industry.
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