On Aug. 3, 2016, Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the A10.48 Standard, Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures, the first voluntary national consensus standard strictly dedicated to protecting workers in the communications tower industry. Although the standard has yet to be published, National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) Executive Director Todd Schlekeway, said …
A long overdue game-changing tower safety standard is finalized
The long-awaited game-changing ANSI standard, A10.48-2016 – heralded as being the first comprehensive standard encompassing the entire wireless construction, service and maintenance industry, and clearly living up to its expectations – has been finalized, according to the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) and other individuals knowledgeable of its completion. The 107-page standard, although currently not available for purchase, is …
Pennsylvania Wireless Association and NATE host popular networking reception
Last night, the Pennsylvania Wireless Association (PWA) and National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) partnered to co-host a wireless industry networking reception. The event was held at the Sienna Mercato Italian Restaurant’s Il Tetto Rooftop Garden in downtown Pittsburgh. The reception venue is renowned for boasting some of the best and most unique views of the “Steel City”. The PWA-NATE event was …
Successful 300-foot heat exhaustion rescue performed by tower tech’s co-worker
Update: July 27, 2016 – According to crew leader Harold Finley, the tower tech that was rescued this afternoon, about 2:30 p.m., was 24-year-old tower climber Terry Thompson who had a number of years of experience in the industry. His rescuer was Bernard Holly. In a news report, Finley said, “All the Glory goes to God.” According to the FCC’s database, the …
NATE’s weather conditions video couldn’t be any timelier
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a Weather Conditions Video as part of the Association’s 2016 Climber Connection campaign. With extreme heat warnings being issued across the nation today, it provides a timely opportunity to review it and ensure that you and your co-workers remain safe. The video features testimonial footage of a tower technician discussing the …
FCC’s new sweeping Spectrum Frontier rules will open up 11 GHz of spectrum
The FCC today adopted new rules for wireless broadband operations in frequencies above 24 GHz, making the United States the first country in the world to make this spectrum available for next generation wireless services. Building on the successful, flexible approach to spectrum policy that enabled the explosion of 4G (LTE), these rules set a strong foundation for the rapid …
New NATE video emphasizes the gravity of not respecting gravity
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a Gravity Video as part of the Association’s 2016 Climber Connection campaign. The video features testimonial footage of a tower technician articulating the importance of respecting gravity at all times when working in the communication tower industry. The video also includes practical safety tips for industry workers to follow in order …
Texas techs and others network at NATE’s regional confab
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has reported that the second NATE Regional Meeting held on Tues., June 7 at the Texas Star Golf Course Conference Center in Euless, Tex. was a tremendous success. The meeting focused on key industry safety and health initiatives and offered excellent networking and professional development opportunities for meeting attendees. “This was such a successful …
Safety and engineering icon Ernie Jones receives TIA’s first CEO Award
On Tuesday evening during the Telecommunications Industry Association’s VIP Dinner in Dallas, Tex., TIA CEO Scott Belcher presented the organization’s first TIA CEO Award to an industry leader who wasn’t in attendance, but was in the indelible and kind memories as well as the hearts of an overflow group of friends and associates who gave a long standing ovation to …
Unmanned aerial systems safety resource unveiled by NATE
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today the release of a resource document entitled Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations Around Vertical Communications Infrastructure. The safety document, available here, is a by-product of collaboration between the NATE Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Committee and other prominent representatives from the commercial UAS industry. The resource represents NATE’s efforts to educate the wireless …
Successful exhibit floor at WIA’s record-high attendance conference
Although the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) said that they anticipated that they would have approximately 3,000 attendees prior to the show, and a spokesperson said that the crowd broke a record attendance, he could not provide a count today of actual attendees. Last year, according to the WIA, the show had more than 2,000 registrants. A number of exhibitors said …
NATE’s tower inspection video covers multiple practical tips
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a Tower Inspection Safety Video as part of the Association’s 2016 Climber Connection campaign. The Association unveiled the video at the 2016 Wireless Infrastructure Show in Dallas, Tex. The video highlights practical safety tips for industry workers to follow when performing tower inspections. The video includes both ground-based and aerial footage of …
OSHA issues workplace injury reporting rule alongside a chorus of concerns
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule on Wednesday designed to modernize injury data collection to better inform workers, employers, the public and OSHA about workplace hazards. A number of trade groups and professionals believe that it will create more harm than the intended benefits OSHA anticipates it will provide. OSHA currently requires many employers …
Connie Aasen retires, Bob Irving inspires and ExteNet acquires
Well-known and talented marketing professional Connie Aasen has retired from Sabre Industries as the company’s Vice President of Marketing, a position she held for five years during one of the company’s greatest growth periods. Her roots with the company go back to 2001 when she was hired as the multi-discipline firm’s marketing manager. As a member of its trade show …
Participating in the stand-down? Let us give your company a plug
This week’s national safety stand-down to prevent falls in construction’s goal is to reach 5 million workers. If OSHA meets that goal, they will have touched more than half of the construction workers in the country. That count will double last year’s 2.5 million workers. Anyone who wants to prevent falls in the workplace can participate in the stand-down. In …
Professionalism of tower climbers emphasized in new NATE safety video
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today released a Professionalism Video as part of the Association’s Climber Connection campaign. NATE unveiled the video at the 2016 Wireless West Conference in Anaheim, Calif. The video includes a testimonial from a tower climber discussing the characteristics that make up a professional elevated worker in the industry. The video highlights the important role …
Wireless industry tackles needed improvements for failing safety climb systems
Officials from the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP), which aims to promote worker safety, quality and efficiency within the wireless infrastructure industry, gathered representatives from wireless carriers, tower companies and safety climb system equipment manufacturers to hold a Safety Equipment Manufacturers Summit to maximize the critical role safety climb equipment plays in protecting climbers. The purpose of the gathering …
NATE highlights its successful conference with the release of hundreds of photographs
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has provided over a half million descriptions of the tremendously successful conference and exhibition in New Orleans, La. last February with its release today of over 550 event photographs. Although NATE’s receptions and other networking events show a great amount of comradeship, the meetings, educational sessions …
Canada’s Structure, Tower & Antenna Council’s inaugural event is a huge success
The inaugural Structure, Tower and Antenna Council (STAC) 2016 Conference & Exposition in Toronto, Ontario kicked off yesterday at the International Plaza Hotel with a keynote address by Bernard Lord, President and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, and according to attendees and exhibitors at the two-day event, it is proving to be a tremendous success. STAC is the only …
NATE to host South Regional Meeting on June 7 in Euless, Texas
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that they will be hosting a South Regional Meeting on Tues., June 7, 2016 at the Texas Star Golf Course Conference Center in Euless, Tex. The gathering will be the second regional event hosted by the Association over the course of the last nine months and will offer tremendous networking and professional development …
