PSA: working atop cellphone towers is inherently dangerous
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 13th 2008 4:04PM
posted Jul 13th 2008 4:04PM
[Image courtesy of Verizon Wireless]
posted Jul 13th 2008 4:04PM
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This doesnt seem like a hard problem to fix. That cable running between the two rows of step pegs just hook a pully onto it that automatically brakes when downward (falling) pressure is applied to it. That way you can go up freely with a harness and if you fall it doesnt go the other way. then have a little lever that you pull down which releases the brake so you can go back down. make it spring loaded so if you fall on the way down you let go of the lever and it reapplies the brake. 5 lives saved over a 12 day period.
From the article in the read link.
"It appears that all of the tower technicians that died had the appropriate personal protection equipment available to them. They just didn’t use it properly."
If they have the gear available but the people that fell are not using it why is this at all an issue? If you cannot anchor yourself to something to keep from falling your a lost cause and probably would have died some other stupid way anyways. At least this way they only kill themselves.
The iPhone is even causing peoples deaths now! Way to go Steve Jobs!
Not to sound insensitive, but how can OSHA call this the most dangerous job in America when only eight have died this year? Not to mention the fact that they say those people died because they purposely or accidentally didn't use their safety equipment properly.
Because there are very few total cell tower climbers compared to loggers, pilots, policemen, etc. It's by chance of death within the occupation.
Because there are very few total cell tower climbers compared to loggers, pilots, policemen, etc. It's by chance of death within the occupation.
Look out !
Beeeeeeeeeeelllllllooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww
*splat*
Yeah, this is much more dangerous than being in the military! NOT! There have been much less wars than cell towers.
Ever watched "Tougher in Alaska"? This reminds me of the episode featuring linemen in Alaska. These guys were climbing towers without any safety equipment; obviously showing off for the camera.
It's that kind of machismo that may have contributed to these deaths. I just shake my head in disbelief when I see these kind of stories. When you're in the kind of situation that will result in your first mistake being your last mistake (literally), it's time to put aside the manly pride. Save the thinking with your penis for the ladies, or the men if you swing that way.
I worked in the cell phone tower business for over 13 years and encountered some of the best and worst contractors. Tower accidents and deaths are typically a combination of rushing to complete the job, failure to follow proper safety climbing & tie-off rules, using incorrect equipment (ie wrong ropes or harnesses), or just plain lack of training. I believe that lack of proper training seems to be the biggest cause of tower related accidents. Properly trained and expert tower climbers and workers rarely encounter problems; BUT, the trade-off is that they are expensive! The training is costly & time consuming, the insurance is out-of-this-world expensive, and therefore the climbers and their team charge high fees… the underlying problem here is, once again, corporate greed: trying to save every penny by nickling-and-diming the contractors to death, sometimes even hiring unfit & unqualified tower teams to save a buck (not a life).
I am very interested in finding work as a climber, but don't know how to go about it. If anyone has any helpful information or contacts please let me know via email at j.castellano@live.com. Thanks