High Price for LTE Rush; Ten Deaths Just This Year From Wireless Tower Worker Falls

[dgstorm]

Sometimes the price of progress is higher than we think behind the scenes. The big wireless companies have been pushing hard to quickly get their LTE networks deployed. That rush has resulted in ten falling deaths from wireless tower workers just this year alone. In fact, just last month saw four of those ten deaths. This is a huge spike and is now being investigated by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration).

For some time, being a wireless tower technician is considered one of the most deadly occupations when tracking the death rate per 100,000 employees; however, this rapid increase can only be accounted for by the rise in competition between wireless companies trying to beat each other to market with a wider LTE coverage area. Here's a quote with a few more details,

"OSHA is taking a close look into factors that may be responsible for this tragic increase in fatalities and, based on those findings, we will initiate additional measures to improve safety in the cell-tower industry," said David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health.

OSHA has estimated there are roughly 10,000 workers in the U.S. communication tower industry. Ten deaths may not seem like a huge number, but it is enough proportionally to rank the industry among the deadliest in the country.

In 2008, citing data from 2006 when 18 tower workers died, OSHA said tower climbing was "the most dangerous job in America," ranking it above occupations such as fishing and logging. Fatalities had declined since then, with only one death recorded last year.

The rise in tower fatalities comes as preliminary data from OSHA show overall workplace fatalities are down in the nine months that ended in June.

We would like to take a moment and thank all of the folks out there brave enough to tackle this dangerous and difficult work. Stay safe... we don't need our LTE bad enough for you to lose your life!

Source: WSJ

 

[LoneWolfArcher]

It should be pointed out that this is not unique to cell tower workers. There are deaths in all construction/maintenance areas involving heights. Electrical poler workers, roofers, wind turbine workers, skyscraper construction workers, stadium builders etc etc etc.

In fact, it could be argued that cellphones save more lives than any of those other "services" listed above.

 

[bazar6]

So sad to have your life end because of your job.

Here's something to put that type of job in perspective...
[video=youtube_share;yCYZZPwJr_c]http://youtu.be/yCYZZPwJr_c[/video]

 

[pc747]

So sad to have your life end because of your job.

Here's something to put that type of job in perspective...
[video=youtube_share;yCYZZPwJr_c]http://youtu.be/yCYZZPwJr_c[/video]

I must admit I am afraid of heights I almost panicked watching the video...ok not really but there is no way in the world I could do that job.

 

[pc747]

[video=youtube;ObZXyfHOPwk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObZXyfHOPwk[/video]

here is a video of a lte tower installation.

 

[pc747]

[video=youtube;qZSsfTnQPIE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZSsfTnQPIE[/video]

 

[bazar6]

Yea being afraid of heights and that video making your stomach squirm is understandable, it's when you're not afraid of heights and it made your stomach squirm, like me lol. That first video was an easy install, they were able to use a crane. There's some towers out by me that are just that, one tall tower, and I don't even want to think about maintaining the antennas on it. I salute whoever does though.

 

[pc747]

[video=youtube;qZSsfTnQPIE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZSsfTnQPIE[/video]

Just watched that video, if you have 20 mins to spare that in an informative video about some of the leg work that went into what happens when you make a call or send data.

 

[pc747]

[video=youtube;-fLg6eV8UG4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fLg6eV8UG4[/video]

one more.

 

[Str8Aro]

While we don't do celluar work, this is what my crews do in broadcasting. My days of climbing are over, being a manager but I have climbed and installed antenna systems before we had OSHA rules. I started in 1979. We didn't even have / use fall arrest harnesses. We had linemen belts around our waist, period. If you slipped, you either broke your back or hung there, sometimes inverted. Thank God, I never had an incident. Today my crews have special harnesses with fall arrest lanyards that connect on the back of the harness at the top of the shoulder blades and reduce the velocity rate of the fall. You can only fall a few feet if tethered properly. Our guys go to climber certification school and do refreshers there every two years. They learn how to rescue one another and have the specialized rescue kits on their service trucks, should the need arise.

Regarding the cell phone tower deaths, Frontline did piece on this a year ago, maybe two. What was exposed in the story were guys being put out on the job with NO training or certification, improper or lacking equipment and adverse work conditions. Some were hired having never done tower work and the next day were up there. At least a couple that died had drugs in there system. The story put part of the blame on the way that carriers subcontract to a jobber, pressing for quick construction. The jobber hires the contractors and makes bank and bonuses if they get done on time or sooner. Corners get cut.

Here is the Frontline documentary: Cell Tower Deaths | FRONTLINE | PBS

 

[pc747]

While we don't do celluar work, this is what my crews do in broadcasting. My days of climbing are over, being a manager but I have climbed and installed antenna systems before we had OSHA rules. I started in 1979. We didn't even have / use fall arrest harnesses. We had linemen belts around our waist, period. If you slipped, you either broke your back or hung there, sometimes inverted. Thank God, I never had an incident. Today my crews have special harnesses with fall arrest lanyards that connect on the back of the harness at the top of the shoulder blades and reduce the velocity rate of the fall. You can only fall a few feet if tethered properly. Our guys go to climber certification school and do refreshers there every two years. They learn how to rescue one another and have the specialized rescue kits on their service trucks, should the need arise.

Regarding the cell phone tower deaths, Frontline did piece on this a year ago, maybe two. What was exposed in the story were guys being put out on the job with NO training or certification, improper or lacking equipment and adverse work conditions. Some were hired having never done tower work and the next day were up there. At least a couple that died had drugs in there system. The story put part of the blame on the way that carriers subcontract to a jobber, pressing for quick construction. The jobber hires the contractors and makes bank and bonuses if they get done on time or sooner. Corners get cut.

Here is the Frontline documentary: Cell Tower Deaths | FRONTLINE | PBS

Sadly that goes on in a lot of industries. A company bid they can do a job for x amount of dollars then they contract out to a company who does it for even less than that and then they hire any one off the street, does little to no training, and puts pressure on the guys to get it done in a hurry. Every one is happy because the money they save they pocket in bonuses. But you do a job safe and efficient if you take care of your guys and keep bringing them back. Experience is what makes for doing a job smarter and efficient. But companies do not want to deal with experience they rather contract and push the responsibility on some one else to provide the man power and deal with pay and insurance premiums. Sadly as we see healthcare premiums continue to rise companies are going rely more and more on contractors. Which I have nothing against contractors as they have families to feed as well. My point being that companies are getting to the point where they rather get around the labor issues and put that on someone else.

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[mountainbikermark]

How'd you like to be the one changing the lightbulb at the top of those towers?

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[azules9780]

I used to build and upgrade these towers as well. Did it for about a year until I went to another slightly hazardous to your health line of work. Had some good times, some bad times and definitely some interesting times up there. It is definitely more safe now than it used to be but it's still up to you, the climber as to how safe it really is. Be stupid, complacent or get too comfortable and it's game over. The other thing I'd like to say is it is extremely hard work and very hard on your body as well which is why very few people are doing the job into their 30's and 40's. The cost of progress is not always understood or appreciated by people.

Anywho, glad I had the experience from doing it but I'm even more glad that I got out and am now a career firefighter.

 

[kodiak799]

How'd you like to be the one changing the lightbulb at the top of those towers?

Support Our Troops!!!
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How would you like to do it in the wind?

I don't think they even go up the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) in winds of excess of 5mph. The frickin' BUILDING can sway a foot in either direction in light winds.

 

[Big Ry]

OSHA requires you to wear a harness if working at any height over 6ft and they have strict requirements for harness/lanyard inspection and replacement. I bet these guys weren't following rules. Still a tragedy nonetheless.

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