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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

SOW Tutorial and more Feedback

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I am taking this moment to let you all know that I put together a Scope of Work tutorial so everyone out there can understand the SOW. Yes, a shameless plug for something I made to help you out. I have a page setup to help you out, go to http://wadesarver.com/scope-work-training/ to learn more. Price is $24.99US but for reading this I have a discount code w4w_sow that will save you about $10 off of that price. I put this together for the wireless field workers that need to understand the SOW or may have to write one. It is a video tutorial. I have a free PDF white paper to help. Feel free to download it and see if it can help you out. If you want to order now click on the icons below.

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I understand from many of you that you are working as contractors and need to write or update a SOW. My intention is to make sure that you understand the work in the SOW and that you understand how to protect yourself from doing work that is not covered in the SOW. I tried to make it clear how this is going to be your key to getting paid for the work you do and how you can create a change order for the work that is not in the SOW. Remember that all the extra work you do will cost your company money so you will need to weigh out whether the customer is going to appreciate it and reward you with more work or if they are taking advantage of you. That is your call but if the SOW is properly written you can make it your decision how to process.

And now, more Feedback!

OK, now let’s get to the feedback. Let me start by saying that I really appreciate the time you have taken to post notes in the feedback forms, thank you! I don’t post names because I don’t want anyone to get in trouble or be ridiculed by the tower community. If you put your company name in, I will post it unless I find it offensive in some way.
OK, let’s get started.
From my post “Climbing alone” we have:
Comment: Awesome ……like minds are good to hear
Response: Thank you!
Comment OSHA 1910.151(b) in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available. Seemingly this indicates the necessity of a minimum of two persons.
Also, OSHA 1910.38 Emergency action plans. The requirements for a rescue plan under OSHA 1910.38 require a written rescue plan is on site completed and signed by all participating personnel.
To my knowledge, I have never reviewed a plan of rescue that
could be construed with a single climber carrying out the complete written activities to be performed during execution of a rescue.
One last thought, I do not believe there is a legal allowance affording the presence of only a single employee on site at any given time. This/these are my interpretation of the readings of the above stated reg.’s. Be familiar with the rules and when and where they may apply. Help with your crew members to become familiar, and at the same time become able to Trust yourself to know. That’s all I have,
Response: Thank you sir!
Comment: Wade – I wrote a blog post about this myself back in May:
http://safetyoneinc.com/climbing-alone/
I hear about this frequently. Not too long ago one of our clients told me about how he fired someone for climbing alone after repeated warnings. Nice to see someone stand behind his words with actions.
Be Safe!
Response: Thank you for taking the time to let everyone know the dangers of climbing alone. Even if you think you can, it is better to have someone there. I know the mentality that it won’t happen to you. We all think that until something so stupid happens, then we know it could happen to anybody. Things happen, good and bad, not always in our control or we get careless. Not fair, but it does. We aren’t always smart, safe, and we don’t always pay attention. We say we do, but we get stupid when we are in a hurry or tired. I know I do!
Comment: Well I do understand where this is coming from. I remember when our policy was buddy system we were to NEVER climb alone. Then as the company got busier it was well its okay just call me before, at location, and back on the ground. Then it went to no mention the fact I was aligning a 6′ or 10′ antenna by myself at 500’….. As time went on the company got so adapted to us climbing alone that if I said someone should be with me , it turned into well I guess we didn’t have what it took to step up. I made my way from greenhorn to lead man to supervisor, to job coordinator. After 15 years I decided to leave. There comes a point when a man becomes a man (at times a stupid one) but we all do what we have to do to take care and provide for the time being. Once he or she realizes the company that sends them out alone is only worried about their Upper Management Bonus check that comes in when the job was done with less payroll. PROFIT is all it comes down to. So if you’re reading this and you understand what I mean. Stop living (risking) your own life for your company that doesn’t care about your worth as an employee. I’m no longer there and left the industry entirely. Now I only kick myself for not doing these 14 years and 11 months ago. When your employer values and respects you……. You as an employee will have a new-found fire and self-worth to exceed farther than you would if you were left alone with no help if needed. Be safe guys and WHOOP! WHOOP! Climb safe and take your time to double-check your anchor. And remember its okay to be 100% tied off it’s a good habit & gets you home safe. Take care.
Response: Thank you for the honesty! I know exactly what you mean. We usually start out with the best intentions, but then something changes, the workload, the schedule, the bonuses, the money, or we just get lazy. We may deny all of these, but I have been there and I have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight, and I know that I fell into these categories. Denial is something we can do until something terrible happens, then all we have is our excuses.
Comment: At the end of the day it all comes down to safety training. But people still make mistakes… most of which I’d say is caused by fatigue caused by poor management, busy work schedules, pressure to finish sites quickly, etc. Wireless work is very complex and it takes very knowledgeable people to make it work.
Response: So true!
OK, I have more feedback and I guess I have to do a follow-up. I will put more out in the next post unless some big news happens. I will try to get it to you soon!
Let me know what you think, don’t be shy!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Report the Unsafe Towers in a Public Database

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OK, here is your chance to send a legitimate complaint out to the world for all to see! This is where the you, the tower technician, the tower climber, the field engineer, the tower worker can exert your knowledge, show some muscle, and become powerful. A database for unsafe towers where you, the person working there, can input your data, thoughts, and facts. Where you ask? Well, I was talking to Vern Fitzgerel, who I met on Facebook, and he put together a form you can fill out by going to http://form.jotform.us/form/42525754737159, This is a form that is asking for details for unsafe towers that you may or may not have refused to climb.Just because you climbed it doesn’t mean it’s safe! This is going to go into a database for unsafe towers that Vern is creating and he will put out on the internet for all to see.. So, this is where the climber, the tower climber, the tower crew, the tower foreman, the lead man, the chief, the project manager, the person who refuses to work on a tower because in their opinion it is deemed “Not Safe”. He will also accept emails at unsafetowers@gmail.com but you need to put more information in the email than to send a picture and say “it’s not safe”. You need details and facts. Make sure if you say it’s overloaded you have some proof, or if you are speculating, explain why you think it’s overloaded based on tower type, loading, and previous experience.

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I have seen towers and monopoles that were overloaded based on tower model and load rating and expected ice and wind rating in that region. However, it was all speculation. I have also see towers come down in ice storm that I thought were plenty strong enough. So it helps to have some facts or an educated guess to explain why you think it’s overloaded.

Here is a way that climbers can identify problem towers for other climber, tower owners, OSHA, lawyers, customers, and anyone who maybe we can learn from the front line, the climbers in the field!

First, let’s review what unsafe is. It would be a tower where you would see a hazard that prevents you from climbing the tower because you deem it as dangerous. It could be anything that is a problem. If you think it is overloaded, then maybe you should make sure by requesting the structural report so you can see what the recommended loading it. To look at a tower and say its overloaded is one thing but to see on the structural that it’s overloaded is another. You make see something that is not attached properly or cross members loose or missing, these are all issues. You may see safety issues or other problems.

Why would Vern do this? Because we need to start documenting towers that are unsafe. Many climbers can refuse to climb a tower but the problem may be that they will find another crew to climb it the next day. Many climbers will climb anything where as other climbers may see problems on the tower.

If you refuse to climb, here is your chance to document the tower and why you won’t climb. This is where you, the climber can report problems towers. This is where you can raise your voice to make tower owners aware of issues. Remember, tower companies that own towers may or may not visit their tower regularly. Things get overlooked and lost and forgotten. Well when Vern’s database gets built we can have a reference to look at.

What do you need to do? You need to provide all the information possible. This of what a site list would have on it. You need to provide the details, coordinates, address, type of tower, owner if you know it, and why it is unsafe. If you say that it is overloaded, prove it by referencing the structural or other documentation. If it is not safe, be specific and say why it is unsafe or where on the tower it has issues. If there is a security issue then explain what you mean by that. Be specific in the issue and the location and the site ID if you have it. This way the tower owner can be notified. Maybe they will correct it or maybe not. Perhaps the next crew will not identify the problem or ignore it.

The database should be enough to let all climbers know that where the problem towers are. It will also be a great way to leave a trail in case there is an injury on that tower and it was identified by someone else earlier.

Vern has a Facebook page which shows the link, FACEBOOK/Unsafe Towers, in case it is easier to go there first.

So what would you do with this database? Will you refer to it from time to time? Do you think the tower owners will be held responsible for tower issues? Do you think that it is time we document tower issues in an organized manner. We need to help out any way we can. I think that when you are in the field you may be able to prevent accidents by sharing information. This is your opportunity. This is your chance to save others from a problem you identified.

Let me know, do you think this is a good idea? Do you think you will participate? Let me know. Maybe you just don’t care. Maybe you will climb anything. Maybe you think that if you don’t do it someone else will. Chances are you are correct. Once again, the industry just can’t stand together. Don’t you think it’s time that the climbers start to work together to make the industry a better industry? The FCC and the DOL are beginning to recognize the problems and importance of this industry. Why not do your part out to help out other climbers? Don’t you think it’s time we unite? This is a start.

Wouldn’t it be great if OSHA would be able to look at this to see that there are issues with this tower rather than only having to look at the mistakes the climber may have made? So many times all of the liability is put on the climber because they are the target, they are there, and it’s the only thing they can look at. The more we document and share the better off OSHA will be armed. They need help, let’s do our part. They may or may not listen but maybe we can star to use the tools at our disposal to make deployments safer.

It’s something that turf vendors may run you 100 miles to try to get you to climb a tower that is not safe, so you don’t get paid for the travel time and the turf vendor finds another sucker who will climb it. Is that a common problem? They use that all the time where they will just call someone else and you are out the money but maybe the other crew could be getting pulled into a dangerous situation because they need the money. Now you can document it and then the tower should be labeled unsafe until the tower owner makes some modifications to repair the problem.

Calculate the load!

Calculate safe load for rigging, sling stress.
http://youtu.be/dY1H9Jpuv_A
Crane Signals.
http://youtu.be/D3GTmyckBro
Proper use of Shackles.

Are you a competent person?

Do you know when you are in over your head?

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2 books. One for the new tower climber, the green hand, to understand that will be expected. The other is a handy aid to help out when you are at the site. I am writing a new book to go over all of the paperwork that you could encounter on the job so you understand what you are working on and what you should be doing. You may expand to other jobs in the industry. This can be the beginning of a great career path in the wireless industry.
Kindle:

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Feedback 3: Near Miss & Drugs

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Near Miss Stories: I have another near miss story I wanted to share. “We had to lift an H frame mount up to put our CDMA next to our LTE antenna on the point of a tophat on a 250 ft guyed tower. The H frame alone weighed about 250-300 lbs without antennas. Rigging plan was to lift H frame with mast pipes and then put the CDMA and LTE antennas on afterward. Being at the top of the tower, we had no headroom. The CM said to use one of their in-house made rooster heads. We questioned it, but the safety manager, operations manager, and CM said it would work. We rigged the tower with our rooster head into an existing antenna mast pipe. Instead of playing it safe, the crew lead added a nose bag half full of angle adapters and  filled up the rest of the way with 3 ways, a sunsight aat, topped off with 2 nose bags full of 1 5/8″ snap ins. So at this point the total load weight we figured was around 350-400 lbs. The green guy on the ground was tagging using a munter hitch to get the load around one guy wire. As the load was being raised up to us, the boy who was tagging put a slight amount of tag on and got the load around the guy wire. The load finally got up to us and right as we went to put our hands on it the rooster head snapped, dropping the load onto the first guy wire below us. The load rode the guy wire about half way down, flipped over, slammed the next guy wire below it, and rid that guy wire about 1/4 of the way to the anchor head where it fell off the guy wire and hit the ground. The tower was shaken violently, me and the other guy up top bolted for the ground. We got down, the owner showed up on site and said that this will never happen again. Come Monday morning during our weekly safety meeting, the CM, operations manager, and safety manager all concluded that what almost got us killed was the tag. They said too much pressure was applied to the tag and that’s what caused the rooster head to snap. They would not accept the fact that they were using an unapproved rigging device with no load rating. To this day, 2 months later, they still say the tag is what did it.” Good story!

Original post here.

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Drugs: I have one more feedback note that is a follow-up to the drugs, “OK, the drug topic is very strong to me. I have a daughter that is 19 and went through a drug treatment program for, yeah you guessed it, pot. Yes the non addictive drug, that can be detected for 90 days… blah blah. Well guess what. It is tested, and there is acceptable ranges and different levels for time elapsed. Some factors that will change this though is frequency of use. Somebody that uses it more frequently will test positive at higher levels through urinalysis. Hair follicle tests are more accurate, and becoming more prevalent. These tests are more accurate, and of course more expensive.”

Original post here.

I also looked up a past case. All of you asked about how pot will affect the outcome of a case. If you go to http://www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-fatalities (released in 2012 and mentions Wally Reardon several times) you will see that Jay Guilford, the young man who died doing an AT&T install in 2008, did indeed test positive for marijuana in his system. To quote, “Under policies provided by Phoenix of Tennessee, Pierce received $200,000 in life insurance, but was denied worker’s compensation because an autopsy showed Guilford had recently smoked marijuana. Lawyers advised Pierce not to sue because of the drugs”. The point I am trying to make is that he did get his life insurance, but they could have gotten more and perhaps maybe they would have found fault with the process. He was making $10/hour. He worked for All Around Towers, (now out of business) who worked for General Dynamics who worked for AT&T. My point is that if they find anything in your system, it changes the outcome.

I also got some feedback about how I don’t know anything about pot, well, that is true, and I only know what I read. I am told I am against potheads – that’s not true, I am only trying to point out what happens when things go bad. I hope nothing bad ever happens to you, so please, prove to me that it doesn’t matter and stay safe. Prove to me that you know better and be the best at hazard prevention you can be. If you can do that and stay alive for the next 10 years on a tower, then call me anything you like, just remain alive and well. More links, http://video.pbs.org/video/2237737729/.

Feedback:

 

Click here to Support the Hubble Foundation

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NATE has announced their new Tower Family Foundation! It will launch September 10, 2014.

 http://nationalassociationoftowererectors.cmail1.com/t/ViewEmail/t/27A57EA732B99C95/C62CEA3BAE9C840AC9C291422E3DE149

2 books. One for the new tower climber, the green hand, to understand that will be expected. The other is a handy aid to help out when you are at the site. I am writing a new book to go over all of the paperwork that you could encounter on the job so you understand what you are working on and what you should be doing. You may expand to other jobs in the industry. This can be the beginning of a great career path in the wireless industry.
Kindle:

W4W Cover 4sworWireless Field Worker's cover V2

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

W4W Cover 4sworWireless Field Worker's cover V2

Whistle blower information:

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Personal Expenses & Tower Videos

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I wanted to just give you a quick note about spending. (If you don’t want to hear me talk about expenses then scroll down to the videos below!) So many new tower workers are going to start making better money than they have before. This is a job where you will get your pay and per diem. I don’t think many companies will allow workers to expense meals, they offer daily per diem, based on where you are working. Per Diem is a daily rate to cover your living expenses, normally meals. Hotels are generally expensed unless you are a contractor, then you probably pay for all of your expenses.

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I know most of you are already angry that I am trying to tell you what to do with your money, I am not. If you want to spend it all every week, that’s fine. I just want to offer you some advice I got from living on the road. Also, if you are broke in 10 years because you partied every night, I don’t want to hear you whine. There is so much bitterness already, why add to it with complaining about your poor habits.

So when you start making some money take the time to think about what you are going to do with it. If you spend all of your per diem then you will have to dip into your own pocket to pay for whatever is above and beyond. I see so many workers say that they spend their per diem on beer. That’s fine but when the bill is more than your per diem then you are wasting money.

Often we need money ASAP, it is not an easy thing. It’s like losing weight, we all want to see the results immediately, but it takes time to do it right. To stay healthy we need to invest in exercise every day and eat right every day. To have money you need to be smart with your money every week. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it once in a while, you just need the smart decisions to outweigh the bad ones most of the time. Buy what you want, just do it wisely.

Personally I think if you can spend less than your per diem then you will have a slight edge over most people. You may be able to put more money aside. So many people travel and get into party mode. This can become a habit and the next thing you know at the end of the month you may not have enough for the rent or mortgage.

I have been there, I was just not smart with my money. With age comes wisdom and we learn about priorities. I am only trying to offer some advice based on my mistakes. I won’t get into telling you how to build a budget. You will need to figure out what your priorities are. I only want you to think about where your money goes. If you have been doing this for 10 years and only have scars to show for it, then maybe it’s time to plan better.

When you get your paycheck, look it over and figure out how to break it out for each expense you have. Most people have car payment, mortgage or rent, maybe child support, all the expenses with living. If you live with your parents, many do, then put as much money aside for when you want to buy your house or a car. I am a fan of saving what I can.

So much money slips through your hands, on things like fast food. When you travel it’s all that available many times. Just be smart with your per diem, be smart with your paycheck. I don’t blame you for eating, but look at your spending. If you are buying crap that is a waste of money, think before you buy next time. Sometimes you may spend more on food, but if you get better food then you won’t be hungry again in an hour.

If you buy tools, buy tools that you will use. If you are buying a big tool think of the payback. When you buy a work truck, think of how it will be used and what you will be hauling and of the gas mileage. It matters.

Next time you go out to have a few drinks with your buddies think about a budget ahead of time. Don’t spend all of your money in one night. Especially if it is literally all of your money. Your friends should understand if you are honest with them.

If your company offers a 401K and they match it, I suggest you put in what they match. Why not, you will want to retire someday. Why not put away what you can. You should save as much as you can. However, don’t put it all in a retirement fund, it is smart to put some of it in savings or a CD or somewhere where you can access it in case of an emergency.

A few notes:

  • Try not to lend too much money to co-workers. That usually ends badly.
  • Try not to buy a fancy work truck if you use it for work, they get beat up quickly. Fancy versus practical, practical should always win. Trust me, when you buy fancy and something falls on it, it really hurts.
  • Spend per Diem wisely! Try not to spend more than you get in a week. The less you spend the more you save. However, you have to eat, so make sure you eat well so you have strength and energy.
  • Your boss may care for you, but the company cares about the bottom line. For all of you that think the company will take care of you, I hope they do. The reality is that if the work stops, they will not hesitate to lay you off or let you go. It’s not fair and it sucks, but that’s the way it is. Think about this when you are stashing money away. The company will ask you to be loyal and have you sign non-competes, but will they be loyal to you? Maybe, maybe not.
  • If you pay child support, this is a priority. If you don’t pay, they will track you down and take it from your paycheck. If they take it from your pay then that’s one more thing that you need to explain when getting hired.
  • Take care of yourself, you matter. Be safe on the job site but be healthy off of the job site. Only you will take care of you. Good habits really help you and your body become better with age. 

Per Diem site to look up regional rates. http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120.

Listen, bad things happen, the better prepared you are then maybe it will help you get through a rough patch. I talk to so many people who prepare and they still have a tough time. I am just trying to help you think through your life and plan for the good and the bad.

Tell me what you would do better!

And now some videos that may help you know that you are not alone in this job.

Cell tower installation:

Studio link installation:

Installing DB420:

Removing a 900 lb 12’ microwave dish (great video):

Measurements on STL tower:

Microwave Dish alignment:

 

FYI – OSHA Tower website: https://www.osha.gov/doc/topics/communicationtower/index.html

 

Click here to Support the Hubble Foundation

www.HubbleFoundation.org  

NATE has announced their new Tower Family Foundation! It will launch September 10, 2014.

 http://nationalassociationoftowererectors.cmail1.com/t/ViewEmail/t/27A57EA732B99C95/C62CEA3BAE9C840AC9C291422E3DE149

 

Whistle blower information:

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Feedback on Drugs, Morons, and Steel

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Today I thought I would post some of the feedback comments. Mostly from the Drugs, Morons, and Steel post.

Concerning the incident in Norman, OK. I wanted to say how sad it is that those climbers yesterday got hurt. I hope they are OK. Let’s all pray that they will be OK. They all were working together to make it home and hopefully they will be with their families soon. Read more here.

First off, I had no idea there were so many experts on pot. Second, I had no idea that harder drugs were so rampant in the industry. Third, so many people thought that this article was about everybody in the industry. So I had many different kinds of feedback.

My overview. I was hoping to point out that when something bad happens the first thing that most people will look at is the drug test. If you don’t believe this, maybe you should wake up. The interesting thing is that most people took this to the extreme and thought I was calling all climbers potheads, which I was not. Some said I should have pointed out that climbers are doing hard drugs like crack and cocaine. I just wanted the tower worker to realize that if something bad happens the first thing that will be looked at will be the drug test when making a final evaluation on what happened. I want people to be conscientious when going to work. Granted there are so many things that could go wrong, why make your bad habits one of them to be blamed whether is had anything to do with it or not. Why risk your reputation or your job?  If you still don’t understand this, then maybe it’s time to move on. Many tower workers I know are outstanding workers and people, it’s a shame that there are a few that make the majority look bad. Trust me, this is a hard job that deserves respect. Hard for more than the physical aspect or the fact you need to know so many different things to be successful. Most travel and are luck to be with their family for more than a weekend. It takes its toll on your personal like. Most climbers are a jack of all trades from steel to electrical to rigging to RF to Telecom and so much more. It’s not an easy job. It’s not just labor. It is a skilled profession. Many others in the industry forget all of that, they just expect it to be done quickly and on time. I believe it is time to start demanding skilled workers. With all of that said, I would bet there are still guys out there that crimp with pliers.

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STEEL

Let’s start with Steel, some people got back to me about what should be done to help make steel safer. Someone mentioned how dangerous it is to work on lights atop the tower. Here is what they said.

“Working on lights on top of masts there is rarely anything to tie off too. It’s excessively difficult to work inside a flash head when the flash head is your only way to hang on. I’ve been climbing 5 years and that’s the only time I get scared for my safety is when I’m at the top and cannot work safely due to lack of points to tie off too”

Another comment was about the guy wires and anchor points and that we should inspect them. So here are some pictures of some rusted guy wires someone gave me on Facebook. Comment, “Everybody is forgetting that the guy anchors need to be inspected. If rust is found please dig down to see if it is safe I have had to tie heads to heavy equipment then do repairs (install new anchor) to make tower safe.”

 

Guy rusted guy anchor rusted

 

DRUGS & MORONS

OK, let’s move onto the drugs section. On Facebook so many people mentions the drugs section. Some of them mentioned that I should not bring this up because it is only a small amount of climber, which I believe. Then others brought up about the heavy drug use in the industry. I had no idea that crack and cocaine were so common. Most of the information I got back was about the time that THC stays in your system. I just have what is on the websites. That is why I put 3 sites up there to use as references.

Here is a great response, “I see you forgot to mention that THC metabolites can stay in your system for up to 90 days.  So if I smoked legally on vacation in Colorado or Washington last month and get drug tested at work, I would fail and lose my job. Even though I was more aware and alert (being sober) than the other workers who are on prescription drugs with a huge list of side effects. Or what about the guy who smokes meth or crack? That crap is out of your system in 1-2 days.  They would pass the drug test. If you want to test do an impairment test.” If you wrote this, all I ask is that you send me a link or a book to back it up. I honestly have no idea.

Another powerful comment, “I’d just like to say that weed is probably the smallest problem when it comes to climbers doing drugs. It’s just the one that stays detectable in your system the longest. There are much bigger problems with heroin, crack, coke, meth and the most widespread issue drug, alcohol. I would rather climb with a pot head than a drunk any day of the week.
Weed is addressed all the time in terms of safety while alcohol seems to be forgotten about. Someone who is hung over is much more likely to cause an accident that a pot head but they’ll pass a drug test almost every time.
It’s time that as an industry, we start looking towards the individual who is actually responsible for the incident rather than the one crew member who smoked some dope three weeks prior. We should be using drug tests to see who is more of a risk instead of using them to place blame after an incident.” This response makes some great points! However, if something goes wrong they will look at the blood work to see what they can find. It will become a legal issue, like it or not.

A note about drug testing from LinkedIn, “All safety sensitive positions should be mandatory drug tested. Blaming the pot head gets you nowhere. Start at the top (I know, shocking). When you do not implement proper procedures to manage your “safety sensitive” employees, you will have people do things on their own time that will no doubt have an effect on others. Legally you cannot test someone under federal law if they are employed and you have probable cause to test. It must be corporate policy. Only corporate policy can mandate when a random test can take place. It’s expensive and today, employers are gambling with everyone by not following their own policies. It’s not the pothead or the moron……it’s the CEO, not running the company.” I hear that drug testing is becoming more and more common.

One thing, I am told that drug tests are not always accurate. Sometimes they give a false positive. Make sure if you test positive and your company’s policy allows, you see the test results. If you did not do anything illegal and you test positive, then speak up or volunteer to be tested on a regular basis. There was a scam, I was told, going around where companies would ID employees as testing positive to fire them to cut headcount. This is a rumor but it would not surprise me. I try to be fair, I know if something bad happened then the drug testing might be blood to be more accurate. It would not be a swab, urine or blood. I just wanted to bring this up to be fair.

Feedback! Feedback! Feedback!

I talk about the new OSHA release on climbing and winches with Kelly Hill of RCR.

Did you do the ice bucket challenge for ALS?

Click here to Support the Hubble Foundation

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NATE has announced their new Tower Family Foundation! It will launch September 10, 2014.

 http://nationalassociationoftowererectors.cmail1.com/t/ViewEmail/t/27A57EA732B99C95/C62CEA3BAE9C840AC9C291422E3DE149

I wrote 2 books. One for the new tower climber, the green hand, to understand that will be expected. The other is a handy aid to help out when you are at the site. I am writing a new book to go over all of the paperwork that you could encounter on the job so you understand what you are working on and what you should be doing. You may expand to other jobs in the industry.
Kindle:

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My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

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Whistle blower information:

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

NATE STAR and the Competent Person

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Hey, I was looking over the NATE webpage, (for those of you who are green NATE = National Association of Tower Erectors), and they have a new STAR program. (NATE did not ask me to write any of this, I just think it looks interesting!) Now, this has some interesting things in it and I would like to go over them. The page for the program is here. They will have a live webinar on September 23rd at 11AM EDT. We should all learn from this if possible. Just a warning, it may be boring, I have attended some NATE webinars in the past and they are geared for the tower crew company owner. If you are a climber, keep that in mind! Don’t complain because they set this up to help the owner understand compliance. The guy speaking, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr, is what I would call a legal labor expert having been a leader at OSHA and now he is a partner in the firm Fisher and Phillips LLP. The guy’s write-up is on the web page and is impressive. Let’s see if he can help the tower industry.

First off, there is some free documentation that you should grab. These are all PDF documents that you can download. They may help you set the foundation for some of your checklists that you should already have.

  1. The Tower Owner Checklist
  2. The checklist for evaluating qualified contractors
  3. The Telecommunication and broadcast tower inspection checklist

They may not be all that you need but they will help you create your internal documentation. Use them for what they are, a tool and a starting point.

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So what else did I read in this? Well, let me tell you, if you go to the Eligibility and Requirements then you will see something very interesting. They put requirements on the training. Go to the “Requisite Levels of Training” section. They have 10 OSHA or equivalent for all personnel working at the tower site. I see that meaning not only the climbers, but the ground guys, the technicians, and the engineers. Even the construction workers building the shelter. Anyone who might be working at the tower site. Anyone there should have the 10 hour OSHA training. This is actually very common in all of the construction industry.

Then they state that the 30 hour OSHA training, or equivalent, is required for the competent person on site or the supervisor. Did you read that? They put the requirements, or at least one of them, on the competent person on the site. How many of you had the 30 hour OSHA training? I know many of you did but here it is actually put in writing that it should be required for the competent person on site. This is very important. Somebody has to lay down the requirements and NATE took the first step. This makes a difference as to who is considered a competent person. How many competent people have a 30 hour OSHA? You tell me.

OSHA defines a competent person here and here. They say that a competent person is capable of identifying 1) existing and predictable hazards, 2) working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and 3) who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them. “By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which must be met by the competent person”. In 1926.32(f) it states, “”Competent person” means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.” Get it? A competent person may not only identify the hazards but they have the ability to take corrective action. Who is your competent person on site? Would you take corrective action? Would you do it even if it costs your crew an extra day? Would you honestly?

Then NATE states that all people working above 6 feet should be trained in fall protection. Well that seems really obvious to me, but trained how? On the job or in a class or by the company or is it up to the companies discretion? It seems obvious that companies should do this but then again look at the company that was recently fined for sending workers up the tower unprepared.

So what are the requirements of your company? Are the standards in writing for the company. I often get mixed feedback. Some have a written policy while others don’t. We are living in a world where we need to document everything and we need to make sure we have it posted somewhere for all of the employees to see. Make sure that your company has everything available for everyone to see.

Defining the requirements is something that should be done day one, especially for a competent person. It should be changing as the industry changes, so it may change monthly. All requirements need to be in writing and they should be reviewed often. This industry is still maturing and as the bidding process may drive some prices down, safety should never be compromised. Safety is not cheap but neither is carelessness.

Tell me what you think!

 

 

BIG LOGS!

So how is your company at keeping safety and training logs? Do they do a good job? How do you know? Did you see them? Can you go back a year? Do they document the training? Do they keep a copy of all of your certifications? They should need them to present to the customer and the tower owner, so if they are not keeping them on record, in paper or soft copy, then what is going on? Maybe you want to look into that.

BIG BUTS!

When you ask you company for some of this information, do they say “yeah but”? Can they produce the documentation you ask for? Will they open up about how much they insure the job? Do they? We all have buts, and if they are big buts then you need to evaluate what is up their but. Due diligence is key to awareness and protection. Be aware of how your company is handling their logs and avoid the buts!

More from OSHA:

Required reading – https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3710.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/workers.html

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10758#1926.502%28d%29%2821%29

http://www.tillerengineering.com/article/tiller-engineering-announces-nate-star-initiative-membership/

Remember – the fallen climbers have families! Remember that some climbers need some help!

Click here to Support the Hubble Foundation

www.HubbleFoundation.org  

Books below. Understand that you can build a career path to keep you growing in this industry.
Kindle:

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My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

W4W Cover 4sworWireless Field Worker's cover V2

Whistle blower information:

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

 

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Drugs, Morons, and Steel.

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I got 3 things to talk about today – drugs, morons, and steel.

Drugs:

Let’s start with drugs, yes drugs. In fact, I will make it simple, let’s talk about marijuana, pot, hemp, or the wacky weed. Whatever you want to call it, pot stays in your system for quite a while. I read this article about POT on Truth on Pot which says that detectable amounts are in the system for up to 12 hours, but could be detectable for up to 27 hours. Why am I telling you this, because if you smoke the night before and then you have a drug test the following day, guess what, you may fail. If there is an accident and they test everyone, then if there is a trial it is no longer about the accident but about the incompetent drug user on the site. In fact the blame may be put on the guy smoking. So we probably will have drug testing for all tower crews in the near future. Apparently, from the feedback I have been getting most people just can’t stop. One big party on the road. More pot articles are here and here or here. Remember that if something bad happens, there will be someone looking to lay blame, who better to blame than the pothead? Drug test should be mandatory after every incident. Random drug tests may become the standard. Get ready for the changes.

If you care about the coworkers on your site, you need to curb your habits! Even if you are on cold medicine, you need to speak up and say something. Anything that could dull your senses or could cause problems should be brought to the chief’s/boss’ attention. If you are the chief, then wake up and let your crew know. Team relies on each other to live. Lives matter, blame is too late.

Wake up pothead, I don’t care what you do on your own time, none of my business, but if a family loses anything because you’re smoking dope then we have real problems. This industry needs professionals!

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Morons:

So now we come to the morons section. This is something that most of you don’t want to admit. Hey, I was a moron a few times, what set me apart was that I learned from my mistakes and I asked for help. Isn’t it great that when someone on Facebook has a legitimate question and all the people can do is rip that guy apart for being stupid! I would like to start my own forum so I can kick those guys out. We are all professionals here, grow up. Are you a skilled professional or a laborer? Which is it? There are places for both on the crew – it’s just nice to know where you stand. What can you tell me about the job you are on? I have done both, but if you are just there for the paycheck, remember that lives are on the line. Don’t be a moron!

Steel:

And now the steel section, we need to be safe on the steel. Are we looking at the big picture when it comes to safety on the tower? Do we know how safe the tower is? Did someone look at the structural? Yes, they usually do because it is an obvious hazard that can be easily, although not cheaply, looked at.

What about the tie off points? Did anyone look to see if the tower was safe to climb and if the climber had tie off points? Ever climb a monopole where the pegs are loose? I did. Ever climb a tower where the face is so huge you need to go to the top and climb down another leg to rig in safety lines? Yup, did that too. Did you ever take two people to rig a safety line to cross a face? I did that too. It’s all extra work.

What if the tower has a ladder up the middle then you need to be able to descend to the point you are working at. Usually in something like that there is very little to tie off to for your positioning lanyard much less another point to tie off your safety lanyard. You probably will need to stay attached to the rope but it’s not an ideal situation. Should the tower owner clean that up? Should they make an effort to make the towers or monopoles as safe as possible for the climbers? Yes, absolutely! Are they doing this? You tell me! Tell me in the form below because I think that when there is an accident they are often overlooked. I worked on many towers where there were so few tie off points. It really helps when they are readily available. They can be added but it costs money. Remember this article?

Feedback let’s me know what you want to know!

I think the goal should be that if there is an accident at the tower, we can unconditionally look at the guy that’s hurt and see he was at fault! That should be the goal, to clearly identify the fault, equipment failure or stupidity. Now, however, we are still not doing that. We are still guessing at what happened. Isn’t it time we start taking every excuse for an accident away? We all know that people have to work at heights, we all know how to improve some towers, and we all know that no one wants to spend the money to do it. This is one way to eliminate a problem.

We really need to work together. Remember that this is only one hazard. Keeping hydrated on the tower is a simple way to eliminate another hazard. Working as a team will eliminate more hazards. Daily inspections eliminate another hazard. Tailgate meetings and planning, eliminate more hazards. Hazard assessment – make things as safe as possible, as a team. Training will eliminate another hazard. Practice rescue techniques, keep first aid kits and trauma kits handy.

Did you do the ALS Ice Bucket challenge?

By the way, I have 2 sites now, www.wade4wireless.com and www.wadesarver.com/podcast and I will work to merge them. I am bringing you the podcast so you can listen while you drive!

Interested?

http://www.criticalmindset.com/

http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/pastissues/057/11/030_036_F1Elli_1112.pdf

http://smallwindconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BP-doc-ver-4.pdf

http://ncc.gov.ng/archive/RegulatorFramework/Guidelines_on_Technical_Specifications_for_the_Installation_of_Telecommunications_Masts_and_Towers.pdf

http://k7nv.com/notebook/topics/TowerTips.pdf

http://www.inti.gob.ar/cirsoc/pdf/antenas/preventing_corrosion.pdf

My Books below. I wrote them to get you started but now I am going to put together some more to keep you going. Understand that you can build a career path to get you beyond climbing.
Kindle:

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My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

W4W Cover 4sworWireless Field Worker's cover V2

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

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Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Do or Die! Are you in over your head?

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Qualifications, do you think that just because you climb towers you are qualified to do anything on the tower? What does your company bid on? Does your crew install dishes or LTE arrays or broadcast antennas or stack towers or strengthen towers? Do you know if you are qualified to do this work on the tower? Did your boss assign your crew a job that you know you are not qualified to do? Did you read the paperwork before you started? Are you in over your head? Is it do or die? No, it isn’t! Because if you are not prepared to pull that load up the tower then maybe you should say something to whoever is running the show. Either get the right crew with the right tools or get another company in there to do it!

You company should not be bidding on anything with a dollar sign. Like Clint Eastwood said as Harry Callahan in “Magnum Force”, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” It was much cooler when Clint said it, but you get the idea! Do you know your limitations? Did you plan on lifting such a heavy and large load? Do you know the ratings on your ropes, blocks, shackles, straps, and all associate hardware? Do you? Do you know how to mount to the tower? How about what to mount to on the tower? Do you mount to a small cross member for a large load? Can you tag the load out with the people you have? Ask yourself, can I do this with the people I am working with? Answer honestly!

Please subscribe and write a review on iTunes or Stitcher, today if possible!

Search for wade4wireless in iTunes today!

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You could always subscribe!

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Listen, some companies bid on work because they need the work, not always because they can do the work.Reputation is big in this industry so that is why when something happens they need to correct it immediately. Accidents happen and most people can forgive, but you need to work extra hard to earn forgiveness and avoid a repeat in the future. If you are good at what you do, then the word of mouth should help you out. 

There is a lot of speculation about how prepared a crew was recently and if they should have been doing this work because of an accident. Could it have been prevented or was it a faulty piece of hardware? If you read this then you can probably guess what accident I am talking about. If you don’t know then go here.

So if you are the one bidding on the work you had better know what your crews can handle. Do they fly dishes or cell mounts? Do they erect towers? If so what kind and how big? Do you think you can do it all? Think again. How experienced is the crew that will be doing the work? How confident are they? How smart are they? How smart are you? All questions that should be asked prior to the responding to the offer.

You see, the thing here is if you are wrong, it may not be a bad day but a funeral. It may cost someone more than a damaged reputation! Think about it. That is why I am in favor of not only experience and learning, but understanding your limitations. If you have worked on something similar than you will understand what is involved and the risks! If you are getting into something new, then it would be a good idea to hire someone who knows what they are doing and get the equipment to handle the job. Plan it out. Read the SOW, look at the BOM, understand you equipment’s ratings. Know what you have and what you will be doing by making a plan.

If something goes wrong, OSHA will look at the people doing the work and that company who is doing the work, but I am thinking they should go beyond that, end to end. Tower owners to the end customer so they know all the factors involved. I am pretty sure that someone at OSHA is looking at this rolling their eyes because they are overworked, but I think once they get the system in place then it will benefit everyone. Once the standards and requirements are set then they will roll it out to the industry. For the tower crews it will probably mean more paperwork to qualify everyone and that will mean more costs for the customer because it will not be free. We all know that paperwork means more money. We also know that it may weed out some of the crews that should not be out there in the first place. It may get ugly before it gets pretty again.

Did someone ask how to use a Capstan properly?

Hey, great resource for Capstan winches from GME Supply, and no, I do not get any type of kickback! I just think this is an excellent resource for someone using a capstan. Kudos to GME Supply for putting this out! I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier! Presented by Keith Willey of Hubbell Power Systems. Great job Keith! It’s all about the drag!

More on the capstan from GME.

Hey, what about tower light fines? Remember this?

Also, I got a message from Richard Evans that the tower lighting is enforced so harshly because if a helicopter or small plane crash into it then people will die! They will not survive a crash. So that is why the fines for the tower lighting are so severe and they need to notify the FAA immediately. I really didn’t think about the helicopter traffic, so that is something that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at the fines. I should have thought about that and the towers on the mountain tops. They are all factors for the tower lights causing planes and helicopters to be safe.

A man has got to know his limitations!

 We need the Hubble Foundation now more than ever, and they need your support. Will you give today?

www.HubbleFoundation.org  

Keep the near miss stories coming. Email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com or message me on Facebook or leave the information below. Or call and leave a message at my Google voice mail at 510-516-4283. Remember it here.

If you prefer to keep your comments private, let me have it!

 

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

FCC & DOL Tower Safety Workshop

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Let’s talk about the FCC and the DOL tower safety and injury prevention workshop! The link can be found at http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0804/DA-14-1131A1.pdf if you want to read about it. This is great news, hallelujah! Way to go FCC & OSHA! (OSHA is part of the DOL.) This is a good thing and needs to be looked at! This year, 9 fatalities to date and 13 last year, this is something that really needs to be addressed. The FCC & DOL released the document on August 4th, 2014, and it’s great that they are stepping up. If you would like to watch it online and live make sure that on October 14th at 9AM ET you go to http://www.fcc.gov/live and see all the action.

By the way, this is post #131 that I put out there for you! I am on podcast #25 already! Tell your wireless friends!

Hurry, write a review on iTunes or Stitcher today!

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Wireless Estimator has an update at http://www.wirelessestimator.com/breaking_news.cfm if you want to see what Jonathon Adelstein, President and CEO of PCIA says. There is speculation that PCIA is pushing this and I know that they publicly endorse the event.

So what do you think they will discuss? Remember that it is safety and injury prevention, so that will open up many issues. I am hoping they stick to the death prevention first. We really need to prevent as many deaths as we can. That isn’t just going to be saying tie off 100% of the time. It’s going to be about making sure that the climber has something to tie off to on the structure! It’s going to be making sure that installations are thought out to the detail that a climber can make it around or through the structure on the tower.

Let me ask how many of the tower climbers have had to climb off the climbing leg to get around a dish or a mount or over an antenna? How many monopoles did you squeeze through the platform opening just to get to the next level? How many faces did you cross by holding on?

I think now that the communications industry is changing it would be a good time to update the towers. There will be 2G and 3G decommissioning happening soon. The next wave of LTE-A and 5G builds will be starting. This is a good time to see the industry work together to improve the conditions on towers. Pretty soon the entire radio, BBU and RF, will be on the tower in communications. Only fiber and power will be run up the tower. If there is wireless backhaul, then only power will be run up the tower.

Let’s think ahead, not just in wireless technology but also in mechanical and safety technology to make those structures safe so that the climbers can follow safe processes. Let’s make it so that the tailgate meetings include someone saying how much they love climbing this tower because they have an easy time maneuvering and tying off. Would that be a pleasant conversation for a change?

With the RRHs getting heavier and more common the tower will be asked to hold more and more weight in the radio and the steel. Let’s make sure that we plan out the tower modifications carefully! Let’s make sure that the mechanical engineers are ready to make the changes to the towers. It’s a team effort and when they beef up the tower they can also add some tie off points and plan out the climbing paths. Maybe a better way to cross the face.

So let’s make some noise and let the FCC know that it will take more than just OSHA trying to report what happened. Let’s see if the industry can come together to prevent all the threats. Let’s make it safer than ever with careful planning and thought. I don’t want them to just throw another initiative that is lip service; I would like to see real planning and industry buy in! If the money is going to be spent on growth, let’s grow the best way we can!

 Where and when?

Date: October 14, 2014

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: FCC Headquarters

Commission Meeting Room

445 12th Street, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20554

Remember to give me your near miss stories, it seems more relevant now that ever, right? Let me know! Email me at wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave the information below. Or call and leave a message at my Google voice mail at 510-516-4283. I cover it here.

 

Other information!

Yes, Kelly Hill of RCR did asked me about the new OSHA directive.

Tell me about your trucks, remember this post!

http://wade4wireless.polldaddy.com/s/trucks-in-tower-work

Remember that the Hubble Foundation needs your support. They help any climber in need, so remember that when you need help and if you can help! Show you care for the families of the fallen and the fellow climbers in need. They still have tickets to the car giveaway! Support Hubble, honor the fallen, and maybe win a Mustang! By the way, how much did you give today?

www.HubbleFoundation.org   OSHA deaths Tower-chart1

By the way, I am planning to put out some more books, this time on scopes of work, Bill of materials, and other useful information for the workers. Let me know what you think. I am working on 2 new projects,  a new book that outlines my different jobs in the industry and a library of reference material that you can access quickly to take to the site. I want to see you make the site safer with quick reference material. If you have any idea of what you need out there let me know. Is this going to help you? Let me know on Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment or leave a message at 510-516-4283

My Books on Kindle:

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Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Beware! The Tick Attacks! Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Interview with Kevin Kidd.

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Beware the killer ticks, well, at least they can make you sick. Those silent hazards are out there wireless workers! So that little tick can cause huge problems! How about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to start. I did a story about Bruce Holsted that explained how RMSF almost ruined his life. Now I have another person, Kevin Kidd also went through a similar ordeal. He too is in the tower industry. Listen to his story on my podcast!

Kevin is a broadcast engineer that works at tower sites for a living. He suffered Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and I asked that he share his experience so you know what to look for and recognize the symptoms in case you get it. Ticks are more common than you think so here is a good podcast to explain what happened to Kevin and how he found out he had this disease. Sorry about the audio but it was on his cell. Kevin is very busy and I am so grateful he took the time to talk to me

If you go to this site http://www.medicinenet.com/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever_pictures_slideshow/article.htm you will see a good explanation of the ticks and the disease. They also give hints on how to remove the tick safely and disinfect your wound after the tick is removed. Then save it in case you get sick. Put it in a zip lock bag or pill bottle and freeze it. This will give you something to take to the doctor and explain that you have a tick bite. That may help them diagnose the problem.

Kevin’s information is;

Kevin C. Kidd, CSRE/AMD
WD4RAT
mailto:kkidd@kkbc.com
KK BROADCAST ENGINEERING
http://www.kkbc.com
AM GROUND SYSTEMS CO.
http://www.amgroundsystems.com

Some links that may help explain this tick bite disease.

http://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_spotted_fever

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/basics/definition/con-20032780

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/rocky.html

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever

http://www.wbiw.com/local/archive/2014/06/officials-warning-about-ticks.php

On this one you need to scroll down to the article. http://www.onhealth.com/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever/article.htm#rocky_mountain_spotted_fever_rmsf_facts

NATE has a Planning Advisory Notice (PAN) for safety, http://natehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PAN-NOV-DEC-2013.pdf and the main page for all NATE PANs is here, http://natehome.com/safety-education/planning-advisory-notice-pan/ if you’re interested. They have PANs for ANSI/TIA 1019-!-2012, Antenna Installations, Mounts and Inspections, FAA Aviation Obstruction Lighting, and Anchor Bolts.