Comtrain USA, a training organization with a rich history in the telecommunications industry has joined the parent company of SafetyLMS, a top training provider in industries including telecom with a particular focus on tower safety. Comtrain, a brand synonymous with training in the wireless tower industry, offers courses in tower and safety rescue, rigging, operating capstan hoists and ascenders and …
Passionate about tower safety, CITCA offers TATE training at no cost to stop human trafficking
CITCA has announced that the company has partnered with the TATE Initiative (Telecommunications Against Trafficking & Exploitation) to begin implementing their RAN (Recognize And Notify) certification training into their climbing, rescue, and rigging programs. The certification program only takes about 30 minutes to complete and is available at no charge. You can easily take the training course on the CITCA website, available …
One size PPE can’t fit all, says OSHA chief Douglas Parker, requesting to hear from all sizes of stakeholders
The U.S. Department of Labor announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the personal protective equipment standard for the construction industry. The current standard does not state clearly that PPE must fit each affected employee properly, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s general industry and maritime standards do. The proposed change would clarify that PPE must fit each …
Incline acquires GME Supply as the company positions itself for additional product lines and growth
Platte River Equity, a Denver-based private equity firm, announced the sale of GME Supply Co. to Incline Equity Partners. GME is a premier critical worker safety and productivity supplier distributor to field-deployed technicians serving multiple infrastructure end markets. “Platte River’s investment played a pivotal role in the acceleration of our growth and development. We are confident that Incline shares our dedication …
NATE’s work zone protection safety video is a must view for ground level projects
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today the official release of a video on Work Zone Protection. The video, the second to debut in Volume 6 of the Association’s popular #ClimberConnection series. The video shines a spotlight on the safety best practices associated with Work Zone Protection, specifically relating to the appropriate use of temporary traffic control devices, proper …
OSHA, media and the CWA routinely and inaccurately portray the wireless industry as the ‘most dangerous’
Commentary — In 2006, after exhaustive research, Wireless Estimator identified cell tower climbers had the most dangerous job in America, exposing a death rate per 100,000 workers of 115.2 based upon approximately 8,700 workers within the industry. The data was obtained, in part, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lagging 2004 data, based upon ten fatalities, later revised to …
The backstory of a teen tower climber rescue: It took a village
A Fox 8 News viewer yesterday afternoon sent Wireless Estimator an email with a link to an article on the Ohio TV station’s website that a 15-year-old boy had been rescued off of a 190-foot cell tower. With few details, it stated, “As the fire department’s ladder was not tall enough, rescuers had to put together a climbing crew, which took a …
Fatal fall of a 29-year-old tower tech from a 300-foot Louisiana tower is industry’s first 2022 death
OSHA is investigating the death of a 29-year-old tower technician who fell from a guyed tower in Florien, LA, late Friday afternoon. According to multiple sources interviewed by Wireless Estimator, Jose Garcia, a resident of Mexico, fell from an unknown elevation off of a 300-foot tower owned by SBA Communications of Boca Raton, FL. The site is located off of …
Offering no standards guidance, CWA says safety bulletin ‘threat’ has the tone of an ‘irate boss’
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) Tower Climbers Union has jumped on the carabiner bandwagon of concern regarding a recent NATE advisory bulletin on July 20, 2022, that stated, “Carabiners are NOT intended for rigging applications involving material handling and overhead lifting,” after a LinkedIn article said that the ANSI A10.48 standard allows carabiners to be used if they are “specifically classified by the manufacturer …
Contractors warned using carabiners for material rigging applications could suspend future work
Industry stakeholders have issued a warning that no matter how strong a carabiner is, companies using them for material handling and overhead lifting could see a loss of work when their jobs are shut down. NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association said today that on July 13, 2022, the organization became aware of an article titled “Rigging is a Dynamic …
3M issues a product advisory on two DBI-SALA harnesses
Product advisories have been issued for two select DBI-SALA harnesses that have the potential to have performance issues. The company emphasized that their notices were not a recall. The DBI-SALA® ExoFit™ XP Arc Flash harnesses, manufactured between January 1, 2005 and July 1, 2021will safely arrest a fall, but you should not use the select harnesses in an environment or …
Tower tech is seriously injured after falling from an unknown height inside a Florida water tower
The condition of 26-year-old tower technician Brandon O’Neil of Orlando, FL is unknown after he fell from an unknown height inside a water tower in Palm Coast, FL, on Tuesday evening and suffered serious injuries. A Flagler County press release said that the technician “was atop the tower when he fell approximately 120 feet,” which is being repeated in media …
Black & Veatch recognized among ‘Best of the Best’ in Michigan workplace safety, health
Reflecting its unwavering championing of safety protocols, Black & Veatch proudly announces it has received the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program in Construction (MVPPC) STAR Award – the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (MIOSHA) highest honor involving workplace safety. The award, open to all Michigan employers, recognizes companies determined to be the “best of the best” in demonstrating exemplary safety …
Foolish draft petition has a carrier telling NATE to ‘Shut up!’ and the matrix pricing problems will be resolved
Commentary — One carrier’s well-thought-out solution to NATE’s concern regarding untenable contractor matrix pricing that is crippling the nation’s wireless workforce can be capsuled in two words: ‘Shut Up!’ There are no legitimate arguments that matrix or model pricing shouldn’t be used in wireless construction unless it’s a project that requires different disciplines or presents unique labor or material-intensive requirements outside of …
LBA Group’s new CTO, Juan Macias, will advance the company’s 5G RF safety and compliance programs
LBA Group welcomes Juan Macias as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Macias brings over 20 years of experience in the Radio Frequency field, with an iNARTE Certification as a Telecommunications Senior Engineer and as an IEEE Senior Member. Before joining LBA, Macias held Lead Senior RF engineering positions with American Tower Company; Senior Broadcast consultant for the FCC Repack and Lead …
NATE takes off the gloves and exposes depressed pricing and other issues making contracting ‘untenable’
Downward pricing pressure and costly vetting demands from carriers and other top-tier clients over the years have undermined the ability of many wireless contractors to remain profitable. It’s a frequent topic of concern and conversations typically end with no solutions or guidance and are renewed each year when turfing vendors and other customers set a new percentage price reduction that …
Kathy Stieler’s new role at NATE will help the industry navigate safety, health and compliance issues
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association has announced the hiring of Kathy Stieler as Director of Safety, Health & Compliance, a new staff position established by the Association. Stieler officially began her duties with NATE this morning. Stieler, a long-time industry subject matter expert and safety professional, joins NATE after serving as Director, ERI Installations and Safety since 2012. During …
‘Disgustingly stupid’ videos yanked following obvious safety violations
As Vice Chairman of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, John Paul (JP) Jones is proud of the many top safety individuals and subject matter experts in the past 25 years who have taken a cottage industry with minimal safety standards and elevating it to a profession that supports the nation’s communications infrastructure with safety as its highest priority. Having …
Legislation reintroduced to address the telecommunications workforce shortage
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today reintroduced the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act, legislation to address the shortage of trained workers necessary to fill next-generation jobs in the telecommunications industry in communities throughout the country. NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors …
Latchways Standard Self-Retracting Lifeline recall alert
MSA is issuing this User Safety Notice to inform the industry that MSA has received field reports of a limited number of Latchways Standard Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRL) in which some internal bolts came loose. MSA has not received any reports of injuries associated with this condition. However, we are requesting that you perform the actions outlined in this notice. Over time, …
