New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, representing the five New York City pension funds, has successfully secured agreements with leading telecommunications infrastructure firms—SBA Communications Corporation (SBA), American Tower Corporation (American Tower), and Crown Castle—to improve their reporting on worker safety at communication tower sites. Lander emphasized the difficult conditions faced by tower workers, noting, “From dizzying heights to challenging …
Ericsson’s Marc Daasch joins NWSA’s leadership team
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Marc Daasch, EHS Director for Ericsson North America, has been appointed as a member of the organization’s Board of Governors. In his new role as a member of the Board of Governors, Daasch will join representatives from a broad cross-section of the industry who are tasked with developing policy and overseeing …
Nexius, owing $600 million to creditors, shoveled millions to a supplier in Beirut before filing bankruptcy
In 2001, brothers Nabil and Ned Taleb co-founded Nexius in a two-bedroom Virginia apartment. They continued to bootstrap their first year’s revenues of $1 million to a multi-corporation self-performing wireless industry enterprise that boosted revenues to $1 billion in 2022. But cash is king, and they ran out of it last year and sought Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection three weeks …
National Wireless Safety Alliance adds key industry executives to its Board of Governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced that Johnny Crawford, Executive Vice President of Tower Development at Vertical Bridge, Amanda Freeman, Director of Safety – Tower Assets at Crown Castle, Leticia Latino-van Splunteran, Chief Executive Officer at Neptuno USA, Corp, and Jim Tracy, Co-Founder at Legacy Telecommunications, LLC, have been appointed as members of the organization’s Board of Governors. In …
National Wireless Safety Alliance announces new Board appointments and election of executive officers
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Gemma Frock, Ph.D., NATE Workforce Consultant, and Dave Hallowell, President of the Connectivity, Commercial, and Industrial Sector at Black & Veatch, have been appointed as new members of the organization’s Board of Directors. NWSA also announced that Don Doty, VP of Broadcast Services at Broadcast Construction Solutions, LLC, Mark Ciarfella, EVP, Domestic Operations …
NWSA’s new testing mode will allow exams to be done in almost any home or office setting
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced during NATE UNITE 2023 that the organization will be unveiling a new Candidate Management System (CMS) and Online Remote Proctoring (ORP) testing mode targeted for the second quarter of 2023. The NWSA’s new CMS will provide the industry with two online portals, the NWSA Candidate Portal and the Group Application Portal. The NWSA Candidate …
‘Amazing’ milestone of 10,000-plus trade certifications in a six-year time span achieved by NWSA
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced that the organization has officially surpassed 10,000 trade certifications issued to workers in the communications infrastructure industry. NWSA reached the 10,000 credentials mark in a six-year time span, having started offering trade certification programs to the industry in late 2016. “I would like to congratulate the National Wireless Safety Alliance on achieving this …
Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty certification exam approved for development by NWSA Board
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) has announced that the certification organization’s Board of Directors has approved the development of a new Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty certification exam. This Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty exam will offer a second option to the current certification pathway for those individuals seeking a Foreman credential. Development efforts are scheduled to begin in the first …
Martin, McCarthick and McGovern appointed to the NWSA Board to maintain diversity of industry sectors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that William (Bill) Martin, President at Tower Engineering Professionals, Inc. (TEP), Drew McCarthick, Director of Environmental Health, and Safety at Ericsson, and Mike McGovern, Regional Vice President at DISH Wireless, have been appointed as members of the organization’s Board of Governors. In their new roles as members of the Board of Governors …
Free cryptocurrency replaces stock options in United Telecom Systems’ unique benefits package
It’s not cryptic for Gen Z adults and millennials; they get it. Cryptocurrency is gaining popularity throughout the world since traditional savings accounts have an embarrassingly low-interest rate that is being stripped away by the country’s highest inflation rate in the past four decades, and traditional IRAs are suffering due to current global issues. Georgia-based United Telecom Systems, LLC (UTS) also gets …
Key execs believe certified tower technicians will lead the nation’s continuous build programs
Attendees at NATE UNITE 2022 were provided an executive level overview of how field personnel will be taking control of their future as the wireless workforce becomes increasingly dependent upon new skillsets that will be required of technicians. The session, which also identified why companies are motivated to assist in their success, was presented by Mark Ciarfella, EVP, Domestic Operations, …
It was anticipated, but now there’s proof that NWSA Certification dramatically reduces safety incidents
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that due to the collaboration of all sectors of the telecommunications industry, there has been a dramatic three-to-one decrease in tower crew-related safety issues and accidents when NWSA trade certified technicians are present on jobsites. This major safety improvement is the result of countless hours donated by volunteers representing the broadest-ever consortium …
NWSA successfully completes the ANSI National Accreditation Board Accreditation Surveillance Process
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that the organization has successfully completed the required ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) year-1 surveillance review process. ANAB’s audit of NWSA occurs annually as a requirement of its accreditation, with an on-site inspection by ANAB auditors every other year. ANAB requires specific data be submitted on an annual basis and it only …
Additional voluntary safety forms in next ESL version will pave the way for a safer wireless workforce
For the past 11 years, the majority of the wireless construction industry has been keeping their jobsites safe and OSHA compliant with the nation’s leading Jobsite Hazard Assessment (JHA) forms that are automatically populated with emergency services information such as the nearest hospital, fire department, and law enforcement agency. The service is available at no charge and takes just minutes …
Industry luminaries to be inducted into Wireless Hall of Fame
The Wireless History Foundation (WHF) will induct four honorees into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame during the Foundation’s Hall of Fame Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on November 11th. This year’s inductees are: James Tracy: CEO of Legacy Telecommunications. Jim has been a leading force in tower and infrastructure construction, service and maintenance for decades. In addition to his …
From monopoles to barber poles, NWSA adds a new certification to buoy lack of broadband funding
President Joe Biden unveiled a $2 trillion plan yesterday to rebuild the nation’s aging infrastructure dubbed the American Jobs Plan, with $100 billion earmarked to build universal high-speed broadband infrastructure. However, the White House did not say how they plan to move the package through congress, nor provide a timeline on when they want it passed. Earlier this month, 30 …
NWSA sets dates, location for May Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is encouraging industry employers, trainers and workers to register for the Telecommunications Tower Technician Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) Workshop scheduled for May 11-13, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted by Petzl America. NWSA-accredited Practical Examiners are NWSA-certified personnel who have been trained and authorized by NWSA to administer the practical examinations for NWSA …
Grubbs, Ripp and Rodgers join National Wireless Safety Alliance Board of Governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced that Philip Grubbs, Environmental, Safety, Health, & Security (ESH&S) Manager in North America for Black & Veatch, Richard “Chip” Ripp, General Manager of Standards and Process for DISH Wireless and Jillian Rodgers, Environmental, Health, Safety, and Fleet Manager at U.S. Cellular have been appointed as members of the Alliance’s Board of Governors. In …
NWSA announces dates, locations for Fall 2020 Practical Examiner Accreditation workshops
Tennessee and Utah Workshops to Provide Opportunity for Participants to Obtain NWSA Accreditation to Administer Field-Based Practical Exams The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is encouraging industry employers, trainers and workers to register for the upcoming Telecommunications Tower Technician Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) Workshops scheduled for September 29-October 1, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Comstar and October 13-15, 2020 in …
NATE video highlights new wireless infrastructure technician program at Southeast Technical College
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today unveiled a video shining a spotlight on the new Wireless Infrastructure Technician Program at Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The video’s release is timely as community college and technical institute students across the United States head back to school for the fall 2020 semester. The video features testimonial interviews with …
