One Tower Tech’s Fight with Skin Cancer, Lyme Disease, and Valley Fever
In her two decades of tower climbing, Kathy Gill, President and Owner of Tower Safety, said she’s learned that some of the most serious threats aren’t the ones we see coming, but the invisible, cumulative hazards climbers face every day working outdoors. She said she was sharing her story, not for sympathy, but in hopes that it helps protect other technicians, crews, and outdoor professionals in this industry.
“After being diagnosed with skin cancer and Lyme disease in 2021, and most recently Valley Fever, I realized how critical it is for all tower workers to understand these long-term health risks,” Gill told Inside Towers. “Some of the biggest dangers in tower work are the long-term health hazards we breathe, absorb, and endure every single day working outside.”
Tower technicians, construction crews, wind technicians, utility workers, and outdoor professionals face environmental exposures most people never think about, Gill said. Some of these hazards are often invisible, cumulative, and ignored until they become life changing. Remote sites, dusty compounds, extreme heat, and prolonged sun exposure, she said, create a perfect storm for several serious health conditions.
OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recognize outdoor workers as a high-risk group for UV exposure, respiratory hazards, vector-borne diseases, and heat illness. These deserve the same attention we give to fall protection and rescue planning OSHA and NIOSH both recognize outdoor workers as high-risk groups for:
- Heat illness
- UV exposure
- Respiratory hazards
- Vector-borne diseases
- Environmental contaminants
Gill says the following hazards deserve the same level of attention as fall protection and rescue planning.
- Skin Cancer: The Sun Never Takes a Day Off
“Years of climbing without consistent sun protection eventually caught up with me,” Gill said. “I’ve had multiple skin cancer spots removed, and it’s a daily reminder that UV damage is cumulative. Intense sun climates, like Arizona’s, makes this risk especially high for tower crews.”
She recommends workers apply broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen every day, even on cloudy days, wear UPF/UV-rated long-sleeve shirts and pants, use UV-blocking sunglasses, wear a wide-brim hard-hat attachment or neck protection whenever possible and schedule annual skin checks with a dermatologist.
- Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illnesses
Five years ago, Gill said she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Her symptoms were extreme fatigue, fever, and the telltale bull’s-eye rash. She said it was a wake-up call about how easily these illnesses can sneak up on us during groundwork and site maintenance.
Her prevention tips: wear long sleeves and pants, tucking them into boots when possible, do a full-body tick check after every shift, shower immediately and inspect your gear, don’t ignore unexplained fatigue, fever, or rashes.
- Valley Fever: The Southwest’s Invisible Threat
Recently, Gill was diagnosed with Valley Fever after doctors found a fungal nodule in her lung. She said recovery has been challenging, with lingering fatigue and respiratory issues. Valley Fever is caused by spores in desert soil that become airborne when disturbed…something tower crews encounter regularly.
Valley Fever is caused by a fungus found in desert soil throughout Arizona, California, and parts of the Southwest. When soil is disturbed, microscopic spores become airborne and can be inhaled directly into the lungs. Arizona reported record Valley Fever cases in 2024, and California has also seen major increases in infections.
Key prevention strategies are: wear a properly fitted N95 or higher respirator during dusty work, wet down dusty work areas whenever possible, limit unnecessary exposure during high winds and dust storms, avoid dry sweeping or compressed-air dust removal and take respiratory symptoms seriously.
- Hantavirus and Rodent Related Risks
While Gill said she personally hasn’t dealt with Hantavirus, she said it remains a serious concern at remote tower sites where deer mice can be present. Proper cleaning protocols and awareness can prevent potentially deadly exposure. Hantavirus spreads primarily through exposure to infected deer mouse droppings, urine, or saliva. Tower compounds, shelters, storage containers, and remote sites can all become rodent habitats.
Prevention steps include: never dry sweep or vacuum rodent droppings, wear gloves and a respirator when cleaning contaminated areas, use disinfectant before disturbing debris, ventilate enclosed shelters before entering, seal openings and entry points where rodents can enter equipment areas.
Gill said although the illness is rare, consequences can be severe.
- Heat Illness and Dehydration: The Danger You Can’t “Tough it Out”
Heat illness is one of the most underestimated dangers in tower work. Heat exhaustion and dehydration do more than make you uncomfortable, Gill said, they reduce mental focus, impair judgment, slow reaction time, and increase the likelihood of mistakes at height and may become fatal very quickly.
Heat illness prevention includes: hydrate before the climb begins, replace electrolytes throughout the shift, monitor urine color and hydration levels, take cooling breaks when possible, watch for confusion, dizziness, nausea, or cramping and acclimate properly when temperatures rise.
“This profession is demanding, honorable, and essential,” Gill said. ”But we must start by recognizing that protecting workers also means protecting their lungs, skin, immune systems, and overall well-being for the long haul. I learned many of these lessons the hard way,” she said. “My hope is that by sharing my experiences, other climbers can protect themselves better and go home healthy for their families for many years to come.”
