The National Access and Rescue Centre is the specialist training division of The heightec Group. The group provides a full range equipment, training, inspection and testing services to all industries working at height, including rescue services of all types.

Our 35m high training complex is specially adapted for fall protection and rescue training and is unique in the variety of training which can be done indoors, within the Centre. Indoor structures include a 30m pylon, an lattice tower, telecoms monopole and lattice climbing frame. Other apparatus includes overhead beams, open shafts and high platforms. Training is also done on location, both in the UK and abroad.

The heightec Group is a member of the Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) and Height and Access Safety Group (HASG). All trading activies are certified to ISO 9001:2000

We provide training to every sector of industry, both in the UK and abroad. Our clients include UK government agencies such as HSE, Customs and Excise, MOD and National Air Traffic Services; blue chip companies such as Shell, BAE Systems, Syngenta and GlaxoSmithKline; public bodies such as police, fire and rescue services and county councils; small businesses and individuals. Students have travelled from overseas destinations which include Mauritius, Portugal, Brazil, USA, France, Austria, the Channel Isles and Eire.

The National Access and Rescue Centre participates at both national and international level in the development of product standards and Codes of Practice for working methods. We are presently active within the following groups: HSE sub-group for Work at Height Regulations, Advisory Committee for Work at Height Training (ACWAHT), British Standards committee for industrial belts and harnesses, IRATA Health, Safety and Equipment Committee, British Standard Code of Practice for Work at Height Training, drafting group for Industrial Climbing specification, Height and Access Group Training Committee, ISO working group for new Descender devices standard, ISO working group for Code of Practice for Rope Access methods.

NARC offers a comprehensive inspection and certification service via our sister division Inspectec. Inspectec possesses a dedicated product testing testing which conforms to EC requirements for testing PPE for work at height, including a 100 kg torso dummy, steel test mass, 7 m drop rig and hydraulic tensile facility with 5,000 kg maximum force. Recording equipment is accurate to 100th/sec and calibrated to NAMAS traceable standards.

Inspectec can fulfil all inspection and recording requirements for clients’ PPE, as required by LOLER, PUWER or the Work at Height Regulations. Services include the setting up of an appropriate schedule, inspection eith at the client site or at Inspectec site, and full ceritifcation. Traceable ID can be applied to products if required.