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The Price of Safety!

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Hey, the price of safety can run into the thousands of dollars. I know that IT guys complain when they need to spend a hundred dollars on a program after they bought a laptop for $1,000, but the tower tech probably has a laptop as well. One that will need to be used at a tower site, on the seat of a truck, or on top of a transmitter in an outdoor cabinet. No matter what you do it takes money to run a business, we all know this. But when safety is involved, it takes money. Training, insurance, legalities, policies, enforcement, and gear all cost money. It ain’t cheap!

The price of safety is not only the classes you need to take, the OSHA classes, the CPR classes, the first aid classes, the climbing certification, and the hours that the tower crew owner has to pay the technicians to attend these classes. Many times the climber will need to travel and the training is only good for the company that you work for at that time. Remember that an employer is normally paying for all of this. If you are a contractor doing it on your own, then you know that you are spending your money. It is a tax write off. However, it is still money out-of-pocket. All this and remember that your certifications may not follow you, each company should certify you, I wrote about it here. If you want to price out training, go ahead and research it at http://safetyoneinc.com/ or www.lbauniversity.org or http://www.rfcomply.com/pc/index.php or http://www.comtrainusa.com/ for more information. There are plenty of safety programs out there. Maybe go to Wireless Estimator and see who they recommend.

I won’t get into insurance in this post, but maybe in the future. Insurance can make or break your business, and then if something happens, they may or may not cover you. Insurance companies often look for an out unless you have the right policy.

Governments spend money on safety as well! Safety is being addressed and the government is investing more in tower climber safety. If you are in the tower industry then you should be aware of TIRAP, http://www.tirap.org/ the organization formed to set standards for the climbing tech. The fact sheet is found here. The one thing I am not very clear on is whether they will have a database showing participating companies, but that is another blog post. That would help climbers know who to work for. I have blogs on the conference here and here and here.

Today I want to talk about gear, your safety gear and what is cost to be properly equipped. My good friend Daniel at GME Supply were nice enough to take the time to run several quotes for me. No, I did not pay them and they are not paying me for this advertising. Here is what I did, I sent them an email asking them to quote out safety gear for this post, and they did. Full disclosure. I don’t know if you would pay this price or get a discount, but I wanted to show everyone the price of the gear. I won’t have all of it, but you get the idea. If anything, this is on the low-end of the spectrum. Remember that each person on the crew needs to have gear, as well as be trained and insured.

Oh, to be clear, the employer must pay for the safety gear. There is a company in California that will deduct money from employees paychecks just so the employees can have safety gear. When do they tell the employees? Right after they are hired. They ask that they sign a form stating that they must have deductions taken from their paychecks to pay for their safety gear. Can you imagine around $70 per paycheck so you can climb safely for a company? Maybe up to 4 or more paychecks, that ain’t right! I would like to say now that is wrong. Proof is here, as required by OSHA! More information here and here. So if your employer makes you deduct money from your paycheck, get a copy of the form, then go to this OSHA Whistleblower Fact Sheet and it will tell you what to do. I used to post this at the bottom of my blog posts. Well here you go, all the information you need to make a difference! They do separate out some items, like non-specialty steel toes, everyday clothing, ordinary clothing or creams, ordinary sunglasses, winter coats, normal rain gear, normal hats, parka, lifting belts if not required. If you own the company of tower crews, why would you make them chip in to be safe? Let me know! I bet most of you will bring up all the times you have had employees steal from you, and that sucks. I get it, they took your tools, gear, whatever. However, it is up to you to make sure you do inventory and that the employee understands that they are responsible for anything lost or intentionally damaged or stolen. Do your due diligence.

So before I get into all of this, and you wonder what safety will cost, then think of what will happen if you don’t follow the process, if you don’t pay for the necessities of the climber. Let me ask you, what is the cost of one life? Why don’t you ask the families of the fallen while you go back and challenge the fines that were handed to the companies. Ask the friends of the climbers and ask fellow climbers what they think when another climber falls. They support each other and they try to understand what happens, how it happened, and why it happened. I found out that you may have someone looking out for you but most times you need to look out for yourself!

So the quotes didn’t come out very well in the post, so you can download them;

https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Capstan-and-accessories-quote.pdf

https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Harness-and-equipment.pdf

https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Delux-Tower-Climbers-Kit.pdf

https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/WestFall-Pro-Climbing-kit.pdf

So for $679.99 you can have the deluxe climbers kit, GM-90002 which will include EAGLE TOWER LE HARNESS, 1″ X 6′ CENTURION ADJUSTABLE, 1-1/2″ X 6′ FLEX-NOPAC LANYARD, West Fall Pro 4-7/8″ x 3″ Steel Carabiner (2 each), West Fall 7″ x 3-3/4″ Steel Carabiner (2 each), 3/8″ WIRE ROPE GRAB FOR FALL, RED LARGE GME GEARBAG, EXTRA TALL TOP CLOSING CANVAS BOLT Bag, COMFORT PLUS 5151 HARD HAT.

That was one option, another is the Westfall Ascend Climbing kit, for $1,139.99 and you get MED WESTFALL PRO ASCEND TOWER Harness, White Petzl Vent Helmet, Grillon Adjustable Lanyard with handle, West Fall 4-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ Steel Ca (2 each), West Fall Pro 4-7/8″ x 3″ Steel Ca (2 each), EXTRA TALL TOP CLOSING CANVAS BOLT BAG,, DBI LAD-SAF 3/8″ Wire Rope Grab w/attach, and 1-1/2″ X 6′ FLEX-NOPAC LANYARD.

What if we break it out and buy it separately, well, maybe that is how you want to do it. Dan at GME was nice enough to put this list together for me. This has some extras in it but it’s a good break down. If these are hard to read, then download them from the links above.

Qty Description Part # Price Each Total ext
1 ALUMINUM, WESTFALL PRO MED WESTFALL PRO ASCEND TOWER HARNESS WF-88022 $410.00 $410.00
1 MED EXOFIT TOWER HARNESS DS-1108651 $374.95 $374.95
1 PETZL VERTEX VENT, WHITE PZ-A10VWA $115.00 $115.00
1 JSP 6151 HARD HAT, VENTED, WHITE PP-280-EV6151SV-10 $49.99 $49.99
1 I’D LG DESCENDER/BELAY DEVICE NFPA PZ-D200L0 $250.00 $250.00
1 STERLING 1/2″ HTP STATIC KERNMANTLE SR-P130060092E $349.16 $349.16
1 ASAP MOBILE FALL ARREST DEVICE PZ-B71AAA $215.00 $215.00
1 ASAP’SORBER LANYARD, 40CM FOR ASAP PZ-L71AA40 $49.95 $49.95
1 FRENCH CREEK, 5/8″ 3 STRAND 300′ LIFELIN FC-410-300Z $265.99 $265.99
1 FALLTECH 8355 ROPE GRAB W/ PARK AND LANYARD FH-8355 $215.99 $215.99
1 29506, 1″ X 6′ CENTURION ADJUSTABLE WEB FP-29506 $46.95 $46.95
1 GRILLON ADJUSTABLE LANYARD WITH HANDLE PZ-L52A002 $180.00 $180.00
1 35478, 1-1/2″ X 6′ FLEX-NOPAC LANYARD FP-35478 $99.69 $99.69
1 6′ SAL Internal Y-Leg Lanyard, Loop + Re FH-8259Y3 $69.95 $69.95
1 DBI LAD-SAF 3/8″ Wire Rope Grab w/attach DS-6116540 $369.95 $369.95
1 3/8″ WIRE ROPE GRAB FOR FALL PROTECTION RG-5000 $179.99 $179.99
1 ERGODYNE 5020 DUFFEL BAG, MEDIUM, BLACK ED-13321 $24.99 $24.99
1 LARGE DELUXE GME SUPPLY GEARBAG, BLACK GM-3050 $59.99 $59.99
1 CANVAS BUCKET WITH BLACK LEATHER BOTTOM GM-5104 $59.99 $59.99
1 CANVAS BUCKET WITH BLACK MOLDED BOTTOM GM-5109 $34.99 $34.99
1 EXTRA TALL TOP CLOSING CANVAS BOLT BAG GM-5416TCP $24.99 $24.99
1 BULL-PIN AND BOLT BAG, CANVAS, TUNNEL GM-5416T $12.99 $12.99
1 GME Supply Rescue Kit, Sterling Large Rope Bag,7/16″ HTP Static Red x 300′, PZ-D200S0 Descender/Belay device, 3 each West Fall Pro 4 7/8″ x 3″ Steel carabiner, 1.5Mx25mm Tube Tape sling, PMI Easy pick-off Strap GM-9025 $744.95 $744.95
1 MaxiFlex Ultimate, 15G Gry. Nylon Shell, Blk. PP-34-874/L $3.33 $3.33
1 CORDEX PLUS MIDWEIGHT GLOVE, TAN, SZ L PZ-K53LT $49.95 $49.95
1 6470 M Black Outer Layer Thermal Weight ED-41203 $129.99 $129.99
1 Ergodyne 6465 CORE Performance Work Wear ED-41103 $114.99 $114.99
2 Rope Connection/Termination Plate TR-V4260 $48.00 $96.00
1 fieldSENSE Occupational RF Monitor FS-8500 $490.00 $490.00
1 ZENON Z12 EYEWEAR, CLEAR PP-250-01-0920 $1.50 $1.50
1 BOUTON ANSER EYEWEAR, BLACK W/SMOKE LEN PP-250-AN-10112 $3.99 $3.99
2 07400, WestFall Pro 4-7/8″ x 3″ Steel Ca WF-7400 $18.99 $37.98
2 07420, WestFall 7″ x 3-3/4″ Steel Carabiner WF-7420 $25.99 $51.98
2 07430, WestFall 9″ x 5-1/2″ Steel Carabiner WF-7430 $34.99 $69.98
1 WESTFALL SEPARATOR SPREADER BAR WF-7475 $31.99 $31.99
1 3′ Anchor Pass-Thru Sling Web FH-7336 $27.99 $27.99
1 6′ Anchor Pass-Thru Sling Web FH-7372 $31.99 $31.99
Totals –> $5,347.11

So that is what it will cost to outfit the climber with the basics. This is the normal gear they will use daily. Not anything for weather like sun screen or winter clothing or gloves. I always used gloves, paid for them out of my own pocket because my hands are a very valuable asset. What about boots? Steel toe, winter and summer, steel shank for support. It all matters and the climber normally pays for all of that just to work.

But wait climbing fans, just sit back and think about the other necessities, not the fluids that should always be on site but the other necessities like ropes, brackets, tools, and other necessities. If these are hard to read, then download them from the links above.

Qty Description Part # Price Each Total ext
1 C3081170 AB Chance Capstan 120 Volt AC P HB-C3081170 $2,089.95 $2,089.95
1 CAPSTAN WINCH, Hitch Mount HB-T3080999 $299.95 $299.95
1 C-Bracket HB-C3080890 $114.99 $114.99
1 SWIVEL BRACKET HB-C3080903 $299.99 $299.99
1 C3080856- ROPELOCK HB-C3080856 $154.95 $154.95
1 COMPOSITE DOUBLE BRAID PULLING EN-CDB160600 $400.00 $400.00
1 3/8″ COMPOSITE DOUBLE BRAID, 600′ EN-CDB120600 $240.00 $240.00
1 4″ ALUMINUM ROPE BLOCK 2500LB WLL WF-B2500 $365.00 $365.00
3 1250 LB BLOCK W/ FORGED STEEL HOOK HB-22301 $139.99 $419.97
4 GREEN ENDLESS ROUND SLING, 3′ LX-ENR2-03 $10.25 $41.00
4 Yellow Endless Round Sling – 3′ LX-ENR3-03 $13.50 $54.00
8 5/8″ SCREW PIN ANCHOR SHACKLE WS-SHA58LR $9.99 $79.92
8 TUF TUG MATERIAL HANDLING CARABINER, 150 TT-TTMHC-1500 $32.95 $263.60
4 CANVAS BUCKET WITH BLACK MOLDED BOTTOM GM-5109 $34.99 $139.96
Total –> $4,206.50 $4,963.28

 

No, I didn’t think of everything but I put together some basics. This will help show you some costs before we even bought tools. Tools area another subject, but this is for one crew. You will need tools to work, and it depends what you do. Like I aid they will need a laptop to do close out packages, you will need a phone, probably a smart phone to do your work. It is not cheap. Tools are easily over $1,000 for a person, into the thousands when you start doing steel work.

So now you know what goes into a crew’s gear, not laid out in the cleanest way, but you get the idea. It ain’t cheap and it ain’t free! Get it people, it costs money. Money is a big part of safety, like it or not. If the crews don’t get paid, they can’t afford to be safe. If a company takes deductions from the climber, it is wrong!

Be smart, be safe, and pay attention!

Thank you GME!

GME Icon

Phone: (800) 940-6762 ext. 2250
Fax: (888) 511-0457

www.gmesupply.com

For more listen to  iTunes or Stitcher for more commentary! Podcast Download

Start learning with some products I created just for you! Start with the Introduction to Tower Climbing, then get The Field Worker’s Aid for Tower Site Work, then to do the work you need to look at the Scope of Work Training, and finally the Tower Worker’s Logbook to log your high time and drive time and your project responsibilities, go to Learn more about my products! for more information!

Go to theIWCE conferenceand see me! I will be on the“Tower Safety and Regulatory Compliance”panel on March 17th, 2015. Don’t you need an excuse to go to the Las Vegas convention center. I will share the stage withCory Crenshaw, Charles Ryan,Dr. Denis Boulais, and Robert Johnson. Our moderator will be J. Sharpe Smith ofAGL Magazine. Here is a list of exhibitors that will be there. I will be speaking and I may need some safety gear, email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com so we can talk! Make sure you sign up for this forum running 1:00PM to 4:30PM because let’s face it, these are issues you deal with on every job!If you want to talk after the conference, let me know.

If someone can lend me a climbing harness and helmet at IWCE, I would appreciate it! I would like to show the crowd what the climber needs to wear everyday.

IWCELogo_125x125

www.HubbleFoundation.org

Two Water Tank Painters Died When Scaffolding Collapsed 100 Foot Up

Men identified! Butler County Coroner’s office said that Gazmend Vukaj, 40, of Novi, and Florjan Milaj, 25, of Farmington.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/men-killed-in-fall-from-butler-co-water-tower-identified/29357828

On Friday, October 24th, 2014. Two men were Sand Blasting a water tower in Butler County, Ohio, when the scaffolding collapsed, they were painters working the tower. This was a scaffolding accident and these guys were painters working on the water tank. They were about 100’ up in the air when this happened. The water tank was surrounded by scaffolding and was covered with tarps to prevent the sand and paint from blowing too far. Both men worked for a painting company.

The two were contracted by Southwest Regional Water District through Farmington Hills, Michigan based V&T Painting LLC.

I hesitated to report this because they were not communication workers although it was a terrible accident while working at height, and their families have my deepest sympathies. They were painters. This was a scaffolding accident, OSHA is investigating. I had so many questions on this that I thought I would send out something.

http://www.local12.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/two-people-dead-after-falling-off-water-tower-19708.shtml

http://www.wlwt.com/news/2-men-die-after-fall-from-reily-township-water-tower/29328750

http://www.wlwt.com/news/2-men-die-after-fall-from-reily-township-water-tower/29328750

http://www.whio.com/news/news/1-dead-1-injured-in-fall-from-butler-county-water-/nhrZp/

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/painters-killed-ohio-water-tower-accident-26450057

http://wdtn.com/2014/10/25/painters-killed-in-water-tower-accident/

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/butler-county/man-dead-another-hurt-after-fall-from-reily-township-water-tower

http://gawker.com/two-men-fell-100-feet-to-their-deaths-while-painting-wa-1650733305

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/075953bda54e42afa46bc77be1de8869/2-painters-killed-ohio-water-tower-accident

 

 

Feedback from You on Shocked Climber and RF Radiation

I have been getting more feedback. I want to get it out there so you can see what people are saying.

More information is on the podcast! Search on iTunes or Stitcher for Wade4wireless and write a review now! 

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I got some feedback on the climber that was shocked 130 foot up on a tower that I thought was interesting. Comment: “A metal tape can be a lethal weapon when used near electrical lines. A fatal case occurred in Britain on a bridge when a supervisor was measuring how close to train wires to build a scaffold. When the tape “broke”, the contact with the power line below was made and he was electrocuted. Add this to your toolbox talk list – save a life.”

My response: thanks for the feedback, awareness will help!

Another comment to the post on a climber that was shocked 130 foot up on a tower. Comment: “When is enough…enough? Why would someone be using a metal tape anymore the company should be held accountable and the tower climber should know better.  As an owner I try to make sure my guys and or gals know what they are doing.  This industry is getting me really stressed out. I may not know 99% of the guys out there but we all represent each other.  It takes 5 minutes to walk around to make sure everything is good and know what the hazards are it saves 10 hours of paperwork when someone gets hurt.  I know FCC DOL and others are trying to change things but I don’t think it will go fast enough and too many companies cutting corners to save a dollar.
Sorry if I rambled but I think you are one of the few that actually understand.  To many out there who don’t think and would rather have a speed contest or pissing match.  I am still trying to fine tune our safety to help everyone who works for us and make things better on our side.”

My response: Thank you and I see this kind of concern everyday! I know that the people who care are passionate about the safety of the climbers, even when many climbers don’t care about their own safety! I know this because when I was climbing I had my priorities messed up. I was concerned about the schedule until I had people work for me. Then I was concerned about their lives. I would like to think that we should be concerned about our own lives as well as the lives of our workmates! When you think of the risk, think of the goal, then think of what could go wrong, minimize the risks if not for your sake or the company’s sake, but think of your family, your parents, your spouses, or your children. Think what they would do with you laid up for a year or worse. Be selfish and take the time to be as safe as you can possibly be. Listen, while this is a physical job, it takes brains and common sense. Use this, use your intuition to look into something when it doesn’t look right. Your time now may save your ass in the end.

I had a comment on my story “A Story of RF Radiation Poisoning, Blogcast” concerning RF radiation, I thought it was a good comment worth sharing. “I grew up around communication towers, my father owned a tower company in Nebraska. The industry has changed considerably thru the last 40 years, safety seems to be the main topic yet it is really not enforced. OSHA has some guidelines in place but compared to similar industries they really don’t have much of a foothold on anyone. As far as exposure to radio frequency they should emphasize more attention to the long-term effects on the human body, and less on whether you need to be trained on how to do the job physically and mentally. It used to be an elite employment opportunity to do tower work, now with cellular sites poked up every direction you look, everyone and their brother has tried the job. Don’t take that to heart, what I mean is most people never really understand what makes the cellular networks work as well as they do. Men and women give up their families to dedicate themselves to multiple weeks on the road, working some of the oddest work schedules, under some of the world’s most strenuous occupations ever. They seem to forget that if it wasn’t for these people, the society we have become a custom to would never have been possible.
I am a proud guy who does HVAC work now days, but will always be a climber and will always remember how unique the business was, and will most likely be for as long as most of us finish out this life. Say a prayer for the dedicated folks who invest their lives to assure that our communication is forever improving because of their efforts.
Thanks to the ones who have been injured or have lost their lives to the industry. Without all of them, our society as we know it would not be possible.

 My response: Thank you! I appreciate the support you give to the workers in the industry!

Here is another feedback comment from “A Story of RF Radiation Poisoning, Blogcast”. Comment: “Hey wade, I think it is great how you put together this blog/website. Do you or have you been employed in tower work? I was just curious buddy? I would love to chat with ya sometime a Lil more extensive about radio frequency expose and basically anything relating to communication industry, except of course the weather men out there, wow, talk about some interesting people! It is truly amazing how many folks it takes to put a 30 minute news clip together, broadcast it and manage everything that goes into true ‘Broadcast’, before digital and during the beginning of microwave 2 gig systems. That’s the real hot sticks, oh and larger Omni a.m. Radio stations! I have burns on my hips from the rivets on my lineman belt I first wore, before the new style 5-6 d-ring full body harness. Like I always tell people, do you ever, very often see or hear radio and t.v. stations off the air, Not a common thing. 10%-50% power is never “off air”, it is regulations they say, but the FCC has never had true guidelines to how the service on a live broadcast antenna is to be performed. There, I feel better…..”

My response: I have climbed for 12 years. I have mostly done work for carriers, public safety, and utilities but have done some broadcast work. I only climbed 2 liver AM towers, but several TV towers. I never had any side effects from the RF, I am very lucky. I do know that the Station to transmitter links, (STL) links we sometimes in the 2GHz range, if I remember correctly. I am not sure what they are now, I know many companies went to fiber. Most broadcast stations are on the air 99.9% of the time because that’s their bread and butter. They do have maintenance windows though. I remember that we would only be allowed to work on some towers during certain hours because some shows were very popular. On AM it was the Rush Limbaugh show, on the east coast we could never climb from noon to 3PM because that show was on. On FM it was usually the hot DJ at the time. For TV it was usually the local news or prime time. TV would usually do the work between midnight and 5AM, FM it was random, each station was different.

What do you think, let me know!

I got a press release I thought I would share with you, Recovery Logistics and Site Resources were purchased by a group of investors, as noted below in the press release. Here it is:

October 17, 2014. Apex, North Carolina.

Private investor group purchases Recovery Logistics, LLC (RLI) and Site Resources, LLC (SRI). The all-cash transaction led by Raleigh businessman Tom Mix was made possible mostly by private investors in the Triangle area.

RLI is a provider of business continuity/disaster recovery services with specific expertise in the wireless telecommunications and utilities industry. Non-emergency routine repairs, maintenance and network upgrade services are provided to Fortune 500 companies in the telecommunications industry through SRI. Together, the companies provide a single-source solution primarily for the wireless telecommunications and utilities industries, handling all background logistics during natural disasters such as power restoration, food, lodging, fuel and transportation.

CEO Tom Mix noted, “They have a unique platform already in place for multiplication. Highly motivated leadership and staff have earned RLI/SRI a proven track record. The small but strong management team needs additional expertise and capital for further expansion. I’m excited to be a key part of their continued growth by providing those resources.”

The combined company is based in Apex, NC, a suburb of Raleigh, NC. Warehouse, call center and equipment facilities are maintained in North Carolina, Texas and Indiana. In the coming months, new locations are scheduled to open in Florida, Nevada and Michigan. RLI has a national client base, serving some of the largest players in the telecommunications and utilities industries. SRI is a leading supplier in telecommunications in the Southeast.

Mix noted, “Disaster recovery and telecommunications services will remain in long-term demand. RLI and SRI are primed for growth, both with a business model of operational excellence. With this acquisition, we are poised to be an industry leader in the wireless industry, while maintaining the quality, safety, and integrity our clients have grown accustomed to.”

More About Recovery Logistics LLC http://recoverylogistics.net/

More About Site Resources, LLC http://www.siteresources.net/

www.HubbleFoundation.org

Soon I will release my training for the SOW and more, to build your library of basic knowledge so you can advance in your job and the industry! My books will help teach someone the basics of tower work.

Kindle:

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PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

W4W Cover 4sworWireless Field Worker's cover V2

PDF books you can pay with Credit Card:

W4W Cover 4sw  Wireless Field Worker's cover V2

 

Suicide from 400 foot tower in Long Branch, NJ

Victim was Christopher Zweidinger, 38, of the Whiting section of Manchester, according to Public Safety Director Jason Roebuck.

http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2014/10/man_who_jumped_from_radio_tower_in_downtown_long_branch_ided.html

Another apparent suicide from a communications tower. This is why the FCC would like to enforce those fencing regulations, to stop things like this from happening. However, if a person wants in bad enough they will find a way. Spectators said they saw him up there and then just step off the tower while someone else thought he was trying to climb higher.

This was reported on October 20th, 2014. This appears to be the second suicide from a tower this year that we know of. More details in the link below.

http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2014/10/person_jumps_from_radio_tower_in_downtown_long_branch_police_say.html

http://wordontheshore.com/man-dies-after-jumping-from-long-branch-radio-tower-second-incident-in-6-months-cms-3483

 

Climber Shocked 130 foot up on Tower!

I heard on Friday that a man who was working 130 foot up on a tower in Coopersville, Michigan, was shocked up on the tower. According to Ottawa County Sheriff a 22-year-old Lansing man, Eric Davis, with his crew was working on the tower when the wind blew his measuring tape into a high tension wire. His workmates helped him down and an ambulance treated him on the scene. Then they took him to a Hospital in Grand Rapids for farther treatment, mostly burns on his arms.

I am guessing he was doing either a survey or structural study.

If anyone has more information please let me know.

http://fox17online.com/2014/10/17/worker-shocked-in-coopersville-tower-accident/

http://www.wzzm13.com/story/news/local/coopersville/2014/10/17/report-man-shocked-trapped-on-130-ft-coopersville-tower/17440315/

http://www.wwmt.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Electrical-worker-shocked-on-the-job-in-Ottawa-Co-51546.shtml#.VELS0xZMe2c

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2014/10/man_22_burned_in_high-tension.html

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20141017/NEWS/141019071/12545/NEWS

 

Tell me, what is right, what is wrong, what do you think?

Part 2 on the “Workshop on Tower Climber Safety and Injury Protection”

Part 2 – I had to break it down to prevent this from becoming a book.

Part 1 is here.

While at the meeting they covered several topics. For those of you who missed it

Full Video replay here! Just remember that it is over 200 minutes!

More in-depth information is on the podcast! Search on iTunes for Wade4wireless and write a review now! 

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Topics covered:

  • Lowest bidder wins, even if they have to cross 3 states to do the work. So many times a tower crew will pass the local crew to do a job. We can’t figure out why one crew can do something for less with the same equipment but traveling farther to do it. What are they not spending money on? Could it be safety gear and training? We really can’t figure that out.
  • Tower workers are often away from home for 1 to many weeks at one time during a deployment. This job wears people down, affects their family life and their attitudes. It can cause depression and anger issues. Family stress causes so many problems with people. When you are trying to support your family and they resent you for being away, it becomes a painful conundrum.
  • Deployment speeds are making a difference, crews struggle to keep up with the rate that deployments are moving. Wally brought up that every time he would be on the phone with a foreman/PM/customer they would always end with, “You will be done today, right?” This goes without saying when you look at Kathy Pierce’s story about her some Chad Weller who was ordered to climb in a harness that didn’t fit. Dangerous conditions and wrong equipment make for a disastrous result. Here you have attitudes and deadline that pressure people to make poor decisions. Gette mentioned how many people wanted to refuse to climb but when their paycheck was dangled over their head because the customer/foreman would say they would just find someone else and it would be the last job you would do, climbers feel the pressure to do it. Most times things turn out OK, what about when they don’t? It usually ends badly and then all you have is fingers pointing, OSHA investigating, and lawyers hushing everyone.
  • Workers and contractors not getting paid. Just because the lowest bidder wins doesn’t mean that the crew will get paid. This is all too common in the industry. Many people are just not paying an agreed to price. This corruption in the industry must stop. It is not only affecting the well-being of the workers, the crews, the safety of people, but causes most people to look at the tower industry with a despicable taste in their mouth.  This was one thing that Liz Day brought up, that the other biggest complaint in the industry was not getting paid. The problem with this complaint is proving it. Not many people hiring subs will want to open their books! 
  • Layers upon layers of contractors. Why is it that there can be so many layers of workers between the customer and the actual crew doing the work? This creates problems. Liz Day mentioned that when you search the OSHA database that you never see one death from American Tower, AT&T, nor and large contractor like B&V, because they hire the smaller contractors that pay the price. The larger guys may have their own climbers but mostly for maintenance, not large deployments. What is something bad happens? Then the customer can simply say, the contract says the lowest bidder should be safe. Meanwhile, today they are asking for proof of training and certification, which is a great thing. What about customer safety inspections? That would really help and I believe someone brought that up, either Wally or Craig, can’t remember which one, but they said that AT&T made enough money where they could randomly inspect the work at the site. I will tell you from experience that they inspect the final work with their punch lists. This affects payment, and there is always something that need repaired to delay payment, been there and done that. Final inspection is a key component to getting paid. So in this case the ends will justify the means. When that terrible decapitation happened this year Verizon Wireless stepped in to help with the process because no one else knew what to do. That was the right thing to do. They showed that they care and that they wanted to take action.
  • Working on the road really wears on some people. When they spend weeks on the road and it shows how their attitudes become different. Each person responds differently. Some get depressed while others get angry and some people become party animals. Why is this? Well, they didn’t bring this up but think of “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. Some people become a product of your surroundings meaning if they have a strong leader they will maintain but if the leader is a party animal then peer pressure could play into your actions. Remember that these crews are together, all day and all night. It becomes the family and someone in the crew will be the role model for the younger and more impressionable people. There are exceptions to every rule, but the odds are against most of them.
  • This was brought up – Tower climbing is being formalized int he education system. Aiken Technical College received a $2.45 million grant from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training competitive grant program for the expansion of the College’s nationally unique Tower Installation training program. This program is supported by the DOL and the DOE. 
  • Commitment – Leaders gave their commitment to helping this cause! Leaders high up like the Honorable Thomas Wheeler of the FCC, Honorable Thomas Perez the Secretary of Labor, Dr David Michaels of OSHA, and Jonathon Adelstein president of PCIA offered to give their full commitment to this cause in full support of Scott Kisling the TIRAP chair to make sure that this program gets wheels! The rubber meets the road and the tires started rolling!
  • You – Here is where you can be the engine to insure this program has full success. Members of NATE have the ability to make a difference and support each other. Let’s make sure we monitor the industry! Let’s make this program go forward and offer our support. We can only make a difference if we not only support the program, but each other by caring for what happens a year from not. Compassion is contagious, let’s make sure it spreads throughout the industry, from the climber to the foreman to the crew owners to the project managers to the customers! It will take more than a team effort to make this safe, it will take an industry full of compassion to insure true success, ZERO point ZERO casualties! Do you want to make a difference in this industry, here is your chance! Just say no to unnecessary risks, to dangerous work, to crazy demands. Be realistic and work as a team not only within your company but across the industry. We may be competitors in business but we have the opportunity to stand united. The tower climber can only be strong as an industry. Make a difference and stand for good work ethic, smart working, good ethics, and safe work environments! 

 

Gette’s presentation: http://wireless.fcc.gov/presentations/Concerns_Field.pdf

Wally’s presentation: http://wireless.fcc.gov/presentations/Wally_Reardon_Presentation.pdf

DOL Press Release – http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20141952.htm

FCC Overview – http://www.fcc.gov/events/workshop-tower-climber-safety-and-injury-protection

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20141952.htm

http://www.fcc.gov/blog/safety-and-broadband-must-go-hand-hand

http://social.dol.gov/blog/safety-and-broadband-must-go-hand-in-hand/

http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/11282-osha-fcc-workshop-focuses-on-keeping-communications-tower-workers-safe

http://www.fhnfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Chad-Weller/#!/Obituary

 

www.HubbleFoundation.org

Soon I will release my training for the SOW and more, to build your library of basic knowledge so you can advance in your job and the industry! My books will help teach someone the basics of tower work.

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My notes on the “Workshop on Tower Climber Safety and Injury Protection”

Part 1 – I had to break it down to prevent this from becoming a book. Part 2 will be out soon!

I had a great time, the only thing that would have made it better is free candy. I got to meet many superstars in the industry like Gette Hester, Liz Day, Art Pregler, Wally Rearden, and Todd Schlekeway. I got to discuss business with Doug Lee and a few others. I have to tell you that the wireless industry has so many good people in it. I could go on but I think that most of you would like to hear some feedback on the speakers, so let me move right into my feedback on what each person said.

Quick update – apparently I had everything wrong on the recent water tank fall, the family of the climber reached out to me to straighten me out. I will correct it but I really wanted to finish this first. I am updating the blog and will update the podcast out of respect for the family.

They had a lot of speakers, so I am going to fly through some of them. Now remember that this is my opinion of what each one said, my opinion! If you want more of what I thought, then listen to my podcast. I will have an extended version of each on there. More information is available at http://www.fcc.gov/events/workshop-tower-climber-safety-and-injury-protection if you want to see what they have first hand.

These people are making a difference in the industry. The measuring stick will come in 1 year, to see if the industry can shape up. Every one of you in wireless deployment can play a part to make this the safest industry if you only can be smart, be safe, and pay attention. Correct the problems.

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  • Roger C. Sherman, Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC – The opening remarks by Chief Roger Sherman of the FCC was a good start, got us off on the right foot.
  • David Michaels, PhD, MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA – Dr Michaels kicked it off with his speech on how most of the accidents out there were preventable. Dr Michaels committed to doing everything he could to make sure the industry is as safe as it possibly can be with
  • Kathy Pierce, Hubble Foundation – Then came Kathy and she brought the room to tears with her memory of how things happened the day she lost her son. She opened up about her son’s accident. She recounted that terrible day and how that accident should never have happened. This woman poured her heart out in front of a group of people who needed to hear it. This was enough to make you realize that change in necessary to prevent this from ever happening again! She recounted that horrible day when her son went up on that water tower in a wrong size harness only to never go home that night. It makes you realize that the people who get hurt or die in something like this aren’t the only people who suffer! The families of these people pay a dear price in loss and suffering. Many of them never get the answers they deserve.
  • Dave Anthony, Shenandoah Tower Service – Boy, if someone like Dave ran every company I don’t think there would ever be an accident in the industry again! This guy took the safety and policies that he was able to implement in his company and shared them this group. He firmly believes that change needs to come from the top down. From the owners down to the climber. The attitude around the way that policies are laid out and given to the climber need to be more than writing in an employee handbook but preached on a daily basis. The climber needs to know that the leaders care as much as they do!
  • Liz Day, City University of New York (CUNY) – to refresh your memories, Liz did the expose when she worked with Propublica, links here and here and here and here. This woman is a statistical machine! She talked about what she learned in the stories she got from people in the industry. She also pointed out that tracing the death and accidents in the industry was very hard because you can’t look at the carriers, like AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless, nor can you look at Black and Veatch and Bechtel, because the tower crews are very small companies, they are working for a contractor that when an accident happens the groups up the food chain simply pass it off as “Not my problem!”. She told a story about how one person’s family tried to sue one of the carriers only to lose because they were removed from the work and had statements in their contracts about safety.
  • Bridgette Hester, Hubble Foundation – If you are reading this then you probably know Gette and her work with the Hubble Foundation. She had a presentation which you can get here. Gette explained the toll that these workers have just doing the job and traveling so much. So many workers are on the road and already have strained family lives. This causes distractions in the field when they start to worry about what is going on at home or how they missed their child’s first steps. It can become such a distraction that worked don’t pay attention, become angry, or very depressed.
  • Wallace Reardon, Workers at Heights Health and Safety Initiative – Wally is a pretty outspoken guy that speaks his mind and he had a presentation which you can find here. Wally also brought up the fact that just because most climbers talk about safety, many do not practice what they preach. He mentioned how he would go to tower sites where work is being done only to find out that speed was more important than safety. Even recently he noticed that climbers are working faster with safety playing second fiddle to the deadline. Wally repeatedly said how most project managers or job leads would always end their conversation with the statement, “you will be done today, right?” This was to hammer home that they cared more about the deadline than anything else. Time and money are the priority, with safety becoming an inconvenience and afterthought. One more thing, Wally mentioned how angry most climbers get when they are away from home so long. I believe it was Wally that brought up how one of them even got suicidal due to a family crisis.
  • Jonathan Campbell, PCIA – OK, first let me say this was the youngest looking guy in the room! I thought maybe he was fresh out of college. I know he is not that young, but when he is my age he will still look like he is in his 20s! Now, with that said, it is great that PCIA is getting involved and that they will get the carriers to push the safety agenda! To have the PCIA represent the carriers in this effort to save lives should really help the carriers become an active participant in industry reform since they provide so much work.
  • John Johnson, Black & Veatch – John gave a pretty good opening speech that I really appreciated. He mentioned how B&V did all the safety training and yet they were still having problems in the field. The one thing that they had to implement was training on how to do the job. Then they started adding training for the tasks as well as the safety training and they started to see improvement. Listen, I have been no fan of B&V in the past because of the competition, but I have to admit what John said made a lot of sense. He said B&V put together a training plan that would cover the worker’s job as well as their safety needs. It really made sense.
  • Craig Lekutis, WirelessEstimator.com – What can I say, Craig is a smart guy and it was great to hear what he had to say. He covered the stats and the climber’s plight in the field. This guy is in touch with the climbers and mentioned how many times the climber is pushed to meet the schedule.
  • Art Pregler, AT&T – Art gave a speech on how AT&T is setting new safety standards for the industry from the customer perspective. They are working with these other groups to make sure that the safety message becomes a standard in any deployment. Art mentioned how they are working with NATE to improve climber’s safety from day one of the job.
  • Paul Roberts, American Tower – Let me tell you, Paul can talk, this guy was fun to listen to and he made some good points. He mentioned that ATC does have climbers that take safety very seriously. These climbers under Paul’s watch have the right to not only stop work but to throw anyone off of the tower that is not actively 100% tied off. He also mention how he was trying to work with other tower owners to make sure all safety standards are practices while they are on watch. To do this we need a solid standard in place that all tower owners can agree on. If they truly can be the safety guardians of the towers. Paul brought up how there are several standards to be followed in this industry. He also recommended that we all read MIL-STD-882, I found 882E online here.
  • Todd Schlekeway, NATE – Todd was there and had a good speech but the most important thing, to me, is when Todd mentions that NATE is working on a consolidated safety standard for the tower industry. Why is this so important? Because it would unite all of the other standards for everyone in the industry to work from. To me, this would be a very important step in uniting the industry, especially if all agencies could adopt it and follow it. Then the companies would adopt it and follow it.
  • Scott Kisting, TIRAP Chair – Scott gave a rousing speech about TIRAP, a program which is reality and was christened at this event. That is making this a historic event. This is why this event happened. This is why the people in this industry are working together.
  • Jonathan S. Adelstein, President, PCIA, and Former FCC Commissioner – Jonathon gave his commitment to the effort moving forward. He mentioned how PCIA would like to make wireless deployment move ahead safely and smoothly. If he can convince the carriers to work with their contractors to insure safety, then we can really expect the carriers to carry some of the burden. That would really help the industry in this time of need.
  • Hon. Thomas E. Wheeler, Chairman, FCC – Mr. Wheeler was kind enough not only to make this event, give a speech, but show his support for the tower workers in the USA. This speech was something that should make all of the climbers be appreciated that the FCC commissioner is taking the time and resources to propose changes for the climbing personnel in the industry. The commissioner expects to see improvement in not only the fatality rate, but the accident rate seen among climbers. I believe he was reinforcing his commitment to the wireless deployment teams everywhere by supporting this initiative.
  • Hon. Thomas E. Perez, Secretary of Labor – The Department of Labor has always been committed to worker safety. I believe that, thanks to Mr. Perez and the efforts of Dr Michaels, that the TIRAP program has full support of the DOL and will be used as a measuring tool for all climbing companies to follow. By working with the FCC and private industry Mr. Perez has worked diligently to provide a brighter future for the wireless deployment teams across the USA.
  • You, the tower worker, foreman, crew owner, project manager – You didn’t think I forgot about you, the crews and companies that could not make this event did you? You play a key part in this effort! I took a vacation day, spent my own money to be there, just to keep all of you informed, so don’t let me down or the industry down! If you thought it was all about the people who showed up on October 14th, 2014, then you didn’t pay attention. Listen – here is where you can make a serious dent in the industry. I know we always say safety is an attitude, but its work! It’s money! It takes time! It is a team effort, and you, the tower crew owner, foreman, project manager, and the tower climber have the best chance to make this work! Don’t just ignore this or say it was done in Washington DC and that you have had no say! Take it seriously and make an effort!

OK, I gave you my feedback on each speaker. I bet you’re asking, will this initiative work? Are you willing to work to support this initiative? Well that is up to you, isn’t it? This isn’t the seat-belt law where the cops will be waiting to find you on the highway and give you a ticket so you can survive a crash. OSHA will be watching but they don’t have the resources that most police departments do. They are forced to come in after the accident and determine why it happened and make sure it won’t happen again. They will start to monitor accidents after the fact. If you want to prevent them from showing up, then make sure that you are accident free by following all the safety practices you can. Will you make sure that there are no more accidents, at least in your watch? Or will you say it’s somebody else’s job and that you have no control or that someone made you do something stupid. Maybe it’s time for you to take responsibility for your actions in your company.

If someone gets hurt, it has a huge ripple effect. If someone gets hurt under your watch then who is to blame? This program will require all of you, from the top down and from the bottom up to pay attention. Can you do that? Listen, accidents will still happen, but maybe we can reduce stupidity and arrogance.

I know so many climbers complaining about so many things. What if we all focused in the safety factor here, end to end? What if we take a moment to look at what is in our control? You are a climber then inspect you equipment, and know what the SOW says. If you are the foreman then did you set realistic expectations for the work and the schedule? If you are the project manager do you understand the time line and the limitations of the worker? If you run the crew did you put your worker’s well being first by providing them the tools, the gear, and the time they need to do the job safely and right? If you are the customer did you hire a crew you trust to follow and enforce safety practices and get paid? If you are the GC, did you make sure all your crews have been vetted properly and paid on time? How can you expect the crew to work safely when they don’t get paid?

You see, it’s not all on one person or one department. It takes an industry to act as a team. It takes effort on your part. It takes cooperation, communication, dedication and caring. Do you care? We will see a year from now, won’t we?

I want you to think about something, when the San Francisco Bay Bridge was built, an acceptable death rate was one life for every million dollars spent, link here and scroll down to 1933. There were 28 fatalities building that bridge. Do you know what the acceptable fatality rate is today? Zero point zero!

I will have a part 2 on this soon. It is too long for one post.

Thoughts, feedback, information? Tell me!

 

Gette’s presentation: http://wireless.fcc.gov/presentations/Concerns_Field.pdf

Wally’s presentation: http://wireless.fcc.gov/presentations/Wally_Reardon_Presentation.pdf

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20141952.htm

http://www.fcc.gov/events/workshop-tower-climber-safety-and-injury-protection

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/OSHA20141952.htm

http://www.fcc.gov/blog/safety-and-broadband-must-go-hand-hand

http://social.dol.gov/blog/safety-and-broadband-must-go-hand-in-hand/

http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/11282-osha-fcc-workshop-focuses-on-keeping-communications-tower-workers-safe

http://www.fhnfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Chad-Weller/#!/Obituary

 

www.HubbleFoundation.org

Soon I will release my training for the SOW and more, to build your library of basic knowledge so you can advance in your job and the industry! So feel free to buy one of my books and maybe they will help you learn something that you didn’t know or teach someone who needs to know.

Kindle:

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FCC and DOL Unite for Tower Climber Safety!

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday, October 14th, is the FCC Tower Safety and Injury protection workshop. This will be the roundtable for climber safety regulations for future and current climbers. This will set the safety standards for the tower climbing industry going forward. My post is here.

The information I posted is copied here – “Update: The FCC and Department of Labor are teaming up for the Tower Climber Safety and Injury workshop. Read about it here. It will be on the internet live, go here on October 14th at 9:30AM ET. I am really looking forward to this because the standards are being set. I want to get to DC so I can witness history first hand. This will be the day that climbing standards will be well-defined in the US. The agenda is here. I am curious how many actual climbers will be helping out and how many will offer their advice. Some big names in the industry will be there, like Gette Hester, Wally Reardon, Dave Anthony, Art Pregler, and Craig Lekutis. NATE will have Todd Schlekeway representing them. It should be a big day but the real test will be to see what will happen afterwards. Will rigging standards be set, will there be more than 100% tie off promotions? Will there be real standards set that will be enforceable? I know all the chances I took back when I climbed, now the standard regulations will be set. Remember that what happens here will determine how many lives will be saved in the future. This will shape the industry for the better, I hope. With safety, climber’s values will go up, so will billable hours, so will the number of people who live! This may have the ability to make the industry as safe as it can possibly be. I hope they make progress!”

Again, you can watch it live at this link, http://www.fcc.gov/live?utm_source=Inside+Towers+List&utm_campaign=1672c699d5-10_1310_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_af16c4fc22-1672c699d5-81090165&goal=0_af16c4fc22-1672c699d5-81090165.

Listen to the podcast for more information! Search on iTunes for Wade4wireless and write a review now! 

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www.HubbleFoundation.org

Soon I will release my training for the SOW and more, to build your library of basic knowledge so you can advance in your job and the industry! So feel free to buy one of my books and maybe they will help you learn something that you didn’t know or teach someone who needs to know.

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Deadly Lies and Feedback

Deadly Lies:

I heard about this firsthand when someone came looking for information. Wireless Estimator wrote about it here. What happened was someone called several people stating that a climber fell and died. This type of thing worries so many people. We have enough problems in this industry without people making up stories about death. I don’t know the whole story, but I will tell you that someone thought it would be funny to make up a story that a climber had died. To call people and then put it on Facebook that a fellow climber, a towerdog, a brother in climbing, had fallen. This happened about 2 weeks ago.

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OK, to start with I think that people out there need to understand that many people really care about the industry, so when someone says something like this because they think it’s funny, they cause sleepless nights. They cause OSHA and climbing groups to research the facts. They waste a lot of time of many people because of some sick joke, a sick prank. I get calls all the time of past and present problems, some true and some made up. I research issues and I understand that there are so many angry people in this industry that want to make it look worse that it already does. With so many people working around the clock to make this industry a better place, it’s a shame that there are a few people giving it a bad name.

If you know one of these people, deal with them accordingly. They really are not an asset to the industry nor to anything in the wireless profession. They are a disappointment to not only to the wireless industry, but to themselves as well. I like to think that we can all learn from this. Unfortunately, next time something terrible happens we will need to say, prove it because of people like this.

All I can do is complain about and, forget about it, then move on and be thankful that the FCC and DOL are working together to understand the industry and make the workplace safer than it has ever been in the USA.

For the person that started this rumor, congratulations, you made some people worry and feel like crap because they genuinely care about other people and the industry. As you sit at home this weekend and laugh at the pain you caused, at the company you slandered, and at the profession you maligned you can be proud that you were able to sink to a new low by setting the standard for decency even lower.

For everyone else – Do me a favor, don’t be despicable, be decent and make the world a better place by helping each other out. Helping each other takes time and effort but it’s worth it. There are so many good people in this industry. So many people who do good things for as many other people as they can reach. I am thankful for that. I worked and talked to many of those people. So let’s work together to make this a better work place. We all make mistakes, so let’s forgive, get over it, and push forward.

In my opinion, the wireless industry is a great work place. I get frustrated at times and like any business you have scum buckets. Then you meet people who really care and want to make their work shine, people that really care about each other, then I have hope that wireless is the best industry to work in ever.

Feedback:

I got quite a bit of feedback on the post, “My Company won’t Pay Me, Now What?” so here is some of it.

Comment: The only comment I have is to NEVER spend your own money for supplies.  You are a naive sucker if you do.  Plus, it will save you all the trouble of doing what this gentleman had to do.  These companies for the most part will take advantage of you if you give them the opportunity. If they want a project finished badly enough, they will get the supplies to you.

My response: Good advice to follow, I learned the hard way, much of that depends on who you work for.

Comment: I’m very happy that you ultimately got paid – sorry that you had to spend even five minutes fighting for what was yours to begin with.
I complain on one axiom you mentioned:
“they thought they would get away with because this company did business by not paying unless they absolutely had to … “
This should have been worked out unambiguously, immediately before signing on as an employee or contractor.  I’m not chastising you – I’ve been burnt before – became wiser afterwards, immediately. I got burned once – never again. I recouped my stolen loot – and will die with the secret as to how I did it. I surely wish all of you who trust people [companies] – only because you’re trustworthy yourselves, will learn as quickly that snake oil people are embedded even in Fortune 500 Companies.

My response: It actually was worked out in my work contract, that is why I got paid, and thank you for understanding. You are correct, I am wiser now and I pay attention to how the company does business, that matters. I research a company and the people who are in management before I work there. I worked for a company that didn’t get paid and they went to court and won, yay, however they still didn’t get paid. Just because you have it in writing doesn’t mean they will pay you, it only means you won and that you may have to go back to court again. I have seen some companies spend more time working not to pay people than working to make a profit.

Comment: Wade,
I’m glad you (a) sought out an attorney to find out about your rights, and (b) the attorney you spoke with gave you sound counsel.
Sadly what you experienced is more common than most people realize, and many just give up.  I’m very happy that you stood your ground and fought for what you had earned. Jonathan Kramer, Esq. Telecom Law FIrm, P.C.

My response: Thank you sir!

Comment: Worked for them a few years back. They decided to close the Dallas office without warning while my crew was on the road. We were left high and dry, and told we could just go home. The XXXXXX brothers have a history. Glad you could fight for yours.

My response: Thank you!

Comment: Hi
Good work you have done!
The industry is full of bad moral.
I have worked as self-employed in Denmark for many years.
At several occasions the customer will not pay.
It is much too easy. They can do it with no risk.
The customer get a free credit and probably a discount, due to a compromise. I have always made a legal case against these companies.
The law should be changed in a way, so that the companies risk a penalty if they don’t pay what they owe you!

My response: Thank you!

OK, that’s it for this week and there is much more in the podcast so listen there for more information.
Verizon 4G LET Upgrade using a helicopter

www.HubbleFoundation.org

Soon I will release my training for the SOW and more, to build your library of basic knowledge so you can advance in your job and the industry! So feel free to buy one of my books and maybe they will help you learn something that you didn’t know or teach someone who needs to know.

Kindle:

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Water Tower Worker Falls

Update – I am updating the podcast to clarify the facts. The family reached out to me and let me know that all the facts were wrong and that the guy was working on Sprint Spark deployment and that he fell 70′ onto an ice bridge and he was seriously injured! That is the last I heard. All 3 news reports were wrong and paramedics reporting in error. I guess that happens often. Now the good news, he appears to be recovering, he is home. I can’t say much more because the lawyers came in and hushed everything up. I know that the family is taking good care of him. He is a very lucky man to have so many friends and family surrounding him in this time of crisis. Let’s all say another prayer for him!

Podcast updated, so listen!

More information is helpful!

Update, I got a comment on this post stating that the fallen worker was in serious condition and that he fell 70 feet, not 30 feet.I do apologize, but all I have is the news articles to look at.

He is alive and recovering in the hospital. Let’s say a prayer for him so he recovers quickly!

Here is the comment: “Did you even do ANY research on this story at all? Perhaps you should get your facts straight. The gentleman who fell was a tower worker, working on Sprint 2.5 that night. He did not fall 30 feet, he fell 70. “Other than leg injures he seemed to be ok”… How about, add a lacerated spleen, broken feet, his pelvis is broken in several places and massive soft tissue damage, contusions covering his body, and a separated shoulder. May I add, the reason for the fall is unknown but zero climber fault was found. You really do the news a disservice when you jump to conclusions and post lies. You should think about how this would make the man feel that as you state no one knew what he was doing… Except his tower partner working with him who saved his live and called 911, the company that sent him on the site.?”

Now, I don’t have any news reports to back this up. I have asked the person who left the comment to respond. If anyone has any news, please, let me know. Contact me at wade4wireless@gmail.com or fill in the comment below. 

 

A water tower worker fell about 30 feet from the water tower he was working on in Mill Creek, De.This happened around 8:00PM last night, 10/8/2014. He was working late and no one is sure what he was doing. He is alive, he had several leg injuries. New Castle County paramedics found this 28-year-old man on the ground and other than the serious leg injuries he seemed to be OK, awake, and alert. They took him to Christiana Hospital.

More news here:

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/10/08/worker-falls-mill-creek-water-tower/16952945/

http://www.wboc.com/story/26743839/worker-falls-from-water-tower-in-mill-creek-del

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/809d9c33f3254184b40a2dd833de968a/DE–Water-Tower-Fall

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