1. Tower Safety
ILLINOIS STATE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION
EDUCATIONAL LUNCHEON
ILSWA.orgMarch 25th 2015

2. How many Towers are there ?
87 of America’s Top Tower companies
make up 101,763 of the estimated over
205,000 Communication Towers in our
country according to national statistics as
of March 17, 2015.

3. How many Climbers are there ?
OVER 29,000 TOWER CLIMBERS IDENTIFIED IN
EXTENSIVE WIRELESS WORKFORCE SURVEY
February 17, 2015
According to a comprehensive study by
WirelessEstimator.com identifying how many
wireless technicians routinely work on
elevated structures in the course of their
employment, the number of tower climbers
has dramatically increased to over 29,000
workers, almost triple from the last available
analysis undertaken in 2006 which put the
total of tower technicians at approximately
9,800.
wirelessestimator.com

4. Tower Safety
Exactly what would make working at Tower sites safe
enough to prevent injuries including fatal injures, depends
on whom you ask.
For some, its better education and training or more
Supervision. For others better equipment and required
maintenance, or having Top leadership from the Carriers,
Turf vendors and Tower owners making safety an even
greater requirement….

5. One of the Most Dangerous Jobs in America
wirelessestimator.com
Tower Fatalities Index
2015 0
2014 11
2013 14
2012 1
2011 7
2010 7
2009 5
2008 12
2007 11
2006 19
87 Fatalities in the past 9 years

6. OSHA's chief administrator has insisted that carriers and
tower owners must take more responsibility for safety.
"It's really incumbent on them that safety provisions are
absolutely implemented," OSHA director David Michaels
said in an interview. "Safety can't just be pawned off on the
final contractor."
osha.gov/doc/topics/communicationtower

7. So many areas: Training, Certifications, laws, compliance code,
governmental requirements, special equipment etc.
Today’s session is more about feeling and experiencing the
individual equipment a Tower climber uses day in and day out to
get the job done.
We start with the simple understanding of why we are driven
around our shared practice and requirement of 100% tie-off
Where do We start ?

8. YEAR
OF THE
CLIMBER
aglmediagroup.com
OUR focus on being Safe starts with the commitment to 100% Tie-Off

9. Maintain 100 Percent Tie-Off
The Climber is always connected to a restraint or
Fall-arrest System, and is always connected to the
tower.
One of the most common and most dangerous
misuses in tower climbing among both veterans and
new workers is Free climbing without and
connection to the tower.

10. 2015 Workers’ at Heights Safety & Health Initiative

11. What was used in the Past

12. What is used Today

13. Safety & Rigging
Equipment Costs
Crew Equipment to Climb Qty Total
Load Rope 5/8- 1200 1 $ 1,200.00
Load Rope 5/8- 600 1 $ 800.00
Safety Rescue Bag 1 $ 1,400.00
300 foot Rope Lifeline 5/8 2 $ 240.00
Capstan 1 $ 3,500.00
Rigging Slings 6 $ 360.00
3" Aluminum Hand Line Block 2 $ 300.00
Picking Straps 9 $ 270.00
Tool Lanyards 3 $ 60.00
$ 8,130.00 Crew Equipment to Climb Tower
$ 14,930.00 COSTS FOR 2 MAN TOWER TEAM
Single Climber Gear Qty Total
ExoFit Harness 1 $ 500.00
Tool Pouches 2 $ 60.00
Rope Grab 1 $ 150.00
Y lanyard 1 $ 100.00
Positioning Lanyard 1 $ 200.00
Gloves 1 $ 40.00
Carabiners 15 $ 450.00
Spreader Bar 1 $ 40.00
Gear Bag 1 $ 60.00
Helmet 1 $ 115.00
Safety Glasses 1 $ 10.00
Hard Hat 1 $ 40.00
Boots 1 $ 250.00
Fisk 1 $ 200.00
Cable Grab 1 $ 100.00
Anchor Strap w/ D-Rings 1 $ 25.00
Loop Slings 4 $ 40.00
$ 2,380.00 Single Man Tower Gear Total
x22 Climber Minimum to Work
$ 4,760.002 Man Team GEAR TOTAL

14. Training & Education - Investment

15. Training & Education more costs to grow

16. Don’t Rely on Experience to Be
Your Fall Protection

17. Bring out the GEAR !
Welcome Our supporting member GC’s who are here to help you touch, feel and wear a full body harnesses !
Ropes, blocks, slings, straps, nose and bolt bags, helmet, tools = What a Tower tech carries everyday
(1) Out and set up at each table - Safe & Sound – Capital Cities
(2) Demo at each table – Wake me Up - Avicil

19. natehome.com/100-tie-off-24-7
The Wireless Industry Safety Task Force consists
of top safety and operations executives representing
wireless carriers, tower owners, OEM's,
turnkey/construction management firms and National
Association of Tower Erectors (NATE). The Task Force
has been established in order to collaborate on best
practice solutions to achieve sustainable safety
improvements in the industry.
Zero-Tolerance Policy Mandates
100% Tie-Off 24/7

20. Wireless Industry
Safety Task Force
natehome.com

21. Safety Programs
and Resources
natehome.com

22. Clip from - NATE 2015 Unite Today Video
natehome.com

23. Recommended Reading
• Year of the Climber - page 32
• Don’t Rely on Experience to be Your Fall Protection – page 34
• It Must Stop – page 38
• Incident Investigations – Communications Towers – page 40
• What to Expect from OSHA in 2015 and Beyond – page 42
aglmediagroup.com

24. Thank You
GC’s march out to ACDC – Thunderstruck