The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) is proud to announce the launch of its newest specialty certification exam, Advanced Rigging Concepts, available beginning Monday, April 7, 2025.
This advanced certification is designed to assure certificate holders, employers, carriers, and tower owners that lifting operations on-site are executed safely and effectively. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication when modifications are required and ensures that updates to construction plans are accurately implemented based on the class of lift identified. Lifting operations are critical to the safe construction and maintenance of telecommunications structures; improper practices can pose significant hazards to personnel and result in equipment or structural damage.
“The Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty credential is a timely and much-needed addition to our industry,” said Richard Cullum, Chair of the NWSA Specialty Exam Management Committee. “Based on my experience and the number of rigging incidents I have seen over the years, a specialty credential such as this is needed to ensure tower technicians properly grasp and understand not only the fundamentals, but some of the more complex aspects of rigging. This exam is a strong indicator of the candidate’s technical depth and practical understanding of rigging specific to communications infrastructure.”
Ideal Candidate Profile
The Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty exam is designed for individuals who have already earned their Telecommunications Tower Technician 2 (TTT-2) certification. Candidates would possess the knowledge, skills, and experience to actively participate in pre-job planning and contribute to drafting construction plans. Key competencies include:
- Verifying site conditions,
- Conducting condition assessments,
- Executing construction plans aligned with safety and engineering protocols.
Additional information can be found on their web site at https://www.nws-a.org/ and in the Candidate Handbook which can be downloaded here: https://www.nws-a.org/handbooks-forms/
A Collaborative Effort in Safety & Excellence
Duane Macentee, Executive Director of NWSA, emphasizes the significance of the new credential, “The launch of the Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty Exam brings an additional level of Safety, Quality, and Proficiency to our industry. We are grateful for the longtime support and generous donation from Vertical Bridge that made the development of this exam possible.”
Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the U.S., reinforced its dedication to workforce safety.
“We are proud to support The National Wireless Safety Alliance in their ongoing efforts to improve and enhance safety protocols,” said Ron Bizick, President and CEO of Vertical Bridge. “Strong standards are critical to mitigate hazards, and this initiative sets the foundation for best practices in the industry to meet these standards. Tower technicians are the backbone of our industry, and their safety is of the upmost importance. We believe the new exam, as an extension of NWSA certification requirements, will further strengthen the protection of these professionals.”
We encourage industry workers, companies, and all stakeholders to visit www.nws-a.org to learn more about NWSA and the certification process.
