Experience mod requirement of 1.0 or less seen as ‘ridiculous’ The good news for contractors, according to Bruce Eades, Regional President for Insurance Office of America, is workers compensation insurance premiums are going down from an average of $12 per $100 of remuneration to $6 based upon a change in NCCI Class Codes. But truly troubling news, Eades says, is …
NATE establishes committee on unmanned aerial systems
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) has announced the formal establishment of an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Committee. The newly minted committee will be tasked with monitoring the trends and regulatory environment associated with rapidly evolving UAS technologies and making recommendations to NATE members and the wireless infrastructure community on best practices when it comes to UAS integration. The committee …
131 STAR Initiative companies recognized for their higher safety standards
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) today announced the member companies who have been formally approved to participate in the prestigious STAR Initiative program for the 2015-2016 year. The Association made the announcement at the 2015 Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) Annual Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “We are thrilled with both the quantity and caliber of companies who have …
NATE celebrates success of its first regional meeting in Illinois
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that the first NATE Regional Meeting held on Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 at the Kankakee Community College Banquet Center in Kankakee, Ill., 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 …
Saints backup quarterback’s loss is still good for Verizon’s backup message
Verizon’s newest commercial features New Orleans Saints’ backup quarterback Luke McCown in full uniform as he looks at a Verizon cell tower with a gen set on an elevated platform, as he states, “Verizon has backup generators for most of their towers, so they’re ready if the power ever goes down.” He then salutes the cell tower with his helmet and …
NATE and industry stakeholders present at California safety conference
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) was a key participant today at the 2015 Environmental, Health & Safety International Communications Conference in Los Angeles, California. The conference, organized by the Environmental, Health & Safety Communications Panel (EHSCP), consisted of a series of high-profile sessions focused on key industry safety and health topics, and was attended by stakeholders representing prominent …
Tower Family Foundation highlights founding donors at Vegas CTIA conference
Companies, organizations and individuals recognized for distinguished level contributions The Tower Industry Family Support Charitable Foundation today announced the list of founding donors who have made distinguished level contributions to the Foundation since the organization’s official launch in September 2014. The Foundation made the official announcement at CTIA’s “Super Mobility Week” in Las Vegas, Nev. The non-profit Foundation has been …
NATE Receives U.S. Department of Labor Susan Harwood Training Grant
$140,000 Grant to Develop Curriculum and Provide Training for Communication Tower Industry Workers and Employers The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) to receive a $140,000 Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training Grant. The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program awards grants to nonprofit organizations on a competitive …
New Orleans Saints partners with NATE to host high-profile events at NATE UNITE 2016
The National Football League’s New Orleans Saints and the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that they are teaming up for several high-profile events that will be held in conjunction with the NATE UNITE 2016 Conference in New Orleans, La. NATE UNITE 2016 will take place Feb. 22 through Feb. 25, 2016 and is widely regarded as the …
First ever NATE regional meeting to be hosted in Kankakee, Illinois in September
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) will be hosting a Midwest regional meeting on Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 at the Kankakee Community College Banquet Center in Kankakee, Ill. The meeting will focus on key industry safety initiatives and offer tremendous networking and professional development opportunities for attendees. The meeting is open to NATE members as well as those companies …
NWSA delivers a detailed overview of their tower worker certification program to OSHA
In response to OSHA’s request for information regarding communication tower safety due by Monday, the National Wireless Safety Alliance provided an emphatic ‘yes’ to the agency regarding its question: Is there a need for a standardized, industry-wide training or certification program? Provided by NWSA consultant Chuck Slagle, a former Sprint EH&S executive, the safety alliance said, “The NWSA will standardize …
Former Crown Castle chief and three key leaders to be inducted into Wireless History Foundation
The Wireless History Foundation (WHF) announced today that it will honor four individuals at its annual awards dinner on September 8, 2015 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. The inductees are John Kelly, Brian McAuley, Larry Movshin and Sue Swenson. The key industry movers and shakers join wireless luminaries such as Marty Cooper, inventor of the cell phone …
Former OSHA chief to discuss marijuana, e-cigarettes and other smoky things
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., former Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, will be presenting a free webinar on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. EST to discuss marijuana laws since some states have now legalized medical marijuana and other have approved them for recreational use. Although federal law still considers all marijuana use to be illegal, there is a …
New membership milestone of 800 for National Association of Tower Erectors
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) announced today that it has officially reached the 800 member mark, a milestone that continues to grow. SmartWave Technologies LLC, a Suwanee, Ga.-based company, has the special distinction of becoming the 800th NATE member company. The 800 member mark represents an all-time record for the Association in its 20 year history. “We are …
Safety task force continues to make progress with numerous initiatives
Approximately 50 members of the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force, consisting of top safety and operations executives representing wireless carriers, tower owners, OEM’s, turnkey/construction management firms and NATE, met in Irving, Tex. yesterday to discuss the continued progress of the National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard This premier skills-based worker standard is being created by the industry’s leading subject matter experts …
Apathy abounds in the tower construction industry regarding potential safety rules
Commentary — Last June, when OSHA floated the possibility that the agency was going to request information that would assist it in determining what additional steps it can take to prevent injuries and fatalities during tower work, some workers, employers, manufacturers and others had reservations about whether the RFI would address important tower safety issues, or be a pre-regulation proposal …
NATE Trade show innovator is retiring while companies continue hiring
Included in this week’s Business Briefs roundup, Ken Meador, who kindled the National Association of Tower Erectors’ trade show’s explosive growth, is retiring; Telforce Group has picked up Paul Barone to head its Dallas office; Mark Nellis joins B+T group as its controller; Christopher Felder joins the ranks of Maser Consulting; and Mitch Bateman will be leading obstruction lighting manufacturer Flash …
Former EHS Sprint chief Slagle joins National Wireless Safety Alliance efforts
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that they have entered into a professional consulting agreement with former Sprint Environmental Health and Safety Executive, Chuck Slagle. Slagle, who recently retired from Sprint after nearly a 38 year career, will be tasked with spearheading several NWSA project initiatives and assist in getting the NWSA national assessment and certification programs to …
Near electrocution of two techs requires a review of safe practices
Update: April 6, 2015 – According to an individual knowledgeable of the incident where two tower technicians were shocked as their lift came in a contact with a power line on April 1, 2015, the techs did not have to jump to the ground as stated by a Beloit, Wisc. fire official, but were lowered to the ground by the …
NATE unveils epic 20th anniversary commemorative video
As part of the National Association of Tower Erectors’ 20th Anniversary Celebration festivities, the Association has unveiled a commemorative video highlighting NATE’s 20 years in the industry. The video includes exclusive interviews with NATE’s original founding fathers, historical photos of communications structures and breathtaking aerial views of tower technicians working on communications towers. It’s not surprising to find unsafe climbing …
