NATE project coordinator Kimberly Elliott said the timing is right for the organization to facilitate small cell deployment safety training as NATE members are on the front lines of 5G deployment and related network densification activities in the U.S. NATE has received the Susan Harwood training grant for six consecutive years.
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA to receive a $160,000 Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grant for the 2020-2021 program year. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program awards grants to nonprofit organizations on a competitive basis. Awards are issued annually based on Congressional appropriation.
The topic to be addressed is Fall Prevention in the Construction Industry, with an emphasis on small cell deployment safety practices that are necessary to understand in order to keep workers safe while building and maintaining next generation wireless sites. The new curriculum to be developed by NATE will include detailed instruction on small cell deployment safety practices and focus on personal protective equipment (PPE), job hazard pre-surveys, temporary traffic control, equipment and testing for electrical hazards, fiber optic safety basics, ladder safety and fall hazard equipment, bucket truck/aerial lift operations, material handling, buckets/rigging, rooftops, radio frequency (RF) hazards, confined spaces, working in the general public, dropped tools and working alone. In addition, the curriculum will include pertinent OSHA information regarding employer responsibilities, worker rights, and whistleblower laws and complaint procedures (including time constraints).
“The Susan Harwood Grant has been an invaluable asset for NATE and is an integral component of the Association’s workforce development initiatives,” said NATE Project Coordinator Kimberly Elliott. “NATE is elated to leverage the Susan Harwood Grant in 2021 in order to host free 5G-Small Cell Deployment Training to industry employers and employees. The timing is right to facilitate this training as NATE members are on the front lines of 5G deployment and related network densification activities in the United States,” added Elliott.
As a result of receiving the Harwood grant, NATE plans to host 12 5G-Small Cell Deployment Training Courses throughout the country in 2021. NATE projects that a minimum of 336 employers and employees will receive this complimentary 5G-Small Cell Deployment Training throughout the grant period. For information about the fiscal year 2020 (2021 Program) Susan Harwood Training Grant Program recipients, visit HERE.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov. For more information on NATE, visit www.natehome.com.