NEWSWATCH​
SAFETY
OSHA Booklet Compiles Best Practices for Communication Tower Work
OSHA, in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), recently published a booklet (
PDF
) that provides safety information and best practices for preventing injuries among communication tower workers. The booklet is intended to help reduce injuries and fatalities among both communication tower climbers and ground crew employees. The information contained in the booklet is based on a series of discussions at two workshops held by OSHA and FCC. The first workshop, which was held in October 2014 and covered issues affecting the safety of communication tower employees, included industry stakeholders, employee safety advocates, and the families of employees who had been killed on the job. A follow-up workshop held in February 2016 focused on best practices that could reduce injuries and fatalities among tower employees. Information in the booklet is separated into sections to address each intended audience: tower climbers and ground crew employees, carriers and tower owners, turfing vendors, and tower construction and maintenance contractors.
OSHA first announced an increased focus on tower safety in February 2014 following a significant increase in worker deaths in the communication tower industry. According to the agency, 2013 was the deadliest year for communication tower workers since 2006, with 13 recorded deaths. Twelve tower workers died on the job in 2014, which was double the number of deaths recorded in 2011.
Learn more on OSHA’s
website
.