By Alexia Sparling, an insider at Lease Advisors
Commonly referred to as the most dangerous job in America, tower climbers are attracting the protective interests of both the government and private industry. Over the last eleven years there have been nearly 100 deaths of climbers while working on radio, TV, and cell towers. If this number doesn’t strike you as alarming, consider that the number of climber deaths is about 10 times the average for construction workers.
This October, both public and private sectors convened at a workshop titled “Tower Climber Safety and Injury Protection.” Coordinated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with the Department of Labor (DoL) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), this workshop discussed best practices to ensure tower climber safety. During the conference, many prominent figures in the telecommunications industry and in federal regulatory bodies spoke to the need for increased regulation. Clyburn stated that ‘according to the OSHA, every climber death since 2012 has been a preventable accident.’ Clyburn added that the FCC “may need to keep regulatory options on the table” so that safety issues can be properly addressed. Instead of enacting further regulation, industry leaders are establishing standardized training programs.
Attendees of the workshop showed their commitment to increasing climber proficiency by signing the Employment and Training Administration’s “Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program” (TIRAP). The program has been established in an effort to create universally applied practices. Numerous companies, some of them direct competitors, came together to vanguard tower climber proficiency. Crown Castle, American Tower, and CommScope are amongst the companies that will work together to establish the apprenticeship program. The program is understood as a ‘government-funded private sector alternative to regulation.’
PCIA, The Wireless Infrastructure Association, will be responsible for orchestrating the wireless worker training programs. Once the worker completes the apprenticeship, they will be awarded a credential of technical proficiency that is nationally recognized. Not only will this increase on-the-job safety, it will also help fill the thousands of open positions that are searching for experienced climbers.
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