Tag Archives: tower climber

Rope versus Steel Cable for Hoists

Gallery November 25, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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So I was talking to a retired climber who still works in wireless, (someone still passionate about the industry) and he was telling me stories about all the ropes that broke throughout the years. You know what he didn’t mention, any steel cables that broke. He did mention how it has been determined that ropes broke due to wear, poor tagging, and knots. Remember that a knot will weaken the rope. My point here is to make sure you know what the job is and that you’re prepared.

No argument that rope is way cheaper, but think about the purpose before you do the job. We know that each one has a slightly different purpose, rope and steel cable. What are you pulling? What is the combined weight of what you’re pulling up? How high? Is it a serious load that will strain the rope? What shape is your rope in? Do you need a steel rope/cable for the load?

To be honest, when you are using the small Capstan hoist you would only use rope, but aren’t you envious when you see the big drum hoists being used by other crews? Do you have hoist envy? Be honest!

So when pulling up the load remember that the weight is only part of the equation. If the load weight is heavy you need to account for the rope and maybe the drag, Remember that the block will not only have to hold the weight of what you are lifting but also the weight being pulled by the hoist. So it would be lifting 300lbs and the hoist would be pulling 300lbs, so double the weight and add the hardware and rope. I am just saying that when the rating of the rope or cable is close to the load, make sure you think of everything. But, I digress.

OK, OK, I know, there is an application for both nylon and steel ropes. So let’s focus on the winch use. When using a hoist, a full winch, not a small capstan that most crews use on the back of their truck hitches. Let’s talk a drum hoist that is used to haul up heavy loads. Will a rope work for this? Maybe, but think about what you will be pulling up. Make a plan ahead of time. I know that the broadcast guys and larger tower builders already know what to do and have the setup with the steel cables already. They know what they need to do the work. If you are just beginning to get into the heavy loads with the big boy hoists, then make sure you know what you are getting into. You may know rigging, but don’t overlook the tools you will need to do the work properly.

I have seen ropes break usually due to getting snagged or hung up so it’s something to consider when rigging. Make sure you have a plan for the tag line, if you have steel cable you could have serious problems if you get hung up on a guy or another antenna on the way up.

I am told that some people often use ropes for heavy loads. If you have the money for a serious hoist, you should have the money to get a seriously strong and long steel cable, whatever length you need. Rope is very strong, don’t get me wrong, make sure you know your load rating. Steel rope is strong and you need to know its rating. Anytime you work with any load, hoist or no hoist you need to know the rating of your working rope or cable. It is your job as defined by OSHA. You also need to know everything about the winch. It matters when you are going to determine how much to take up at a time or how you plan to use it.

What if the load is a human load? What if the load is a crew mate? What if the load is a buddy that says, “Take me up with the load!”? Would you trust a rope then? This is something you should seriously think about when hauling people up and down using a winch, with a rope. Ropes wear much faster, ropes knot up, ropes get weak from many different things. Pay attention to the rope! Pay close attention to your tools being used at the site before, during, and after the job. Someone’s life may depend on it.

I know that rope is the most common tool used in the industry. I can’t think of many installations where you didn’t use rope. Even when you had a hoist with steel cable chances are you used the rope for the safety line and for the tag line. You can’t be in this business without rope.

When using the rope for the load line, you may have issues when lifting heavy loads not because of the load rating, but because of the way you knotted the rope or maybe the rope gets a knot in it somewhere up high on the tower. If the rope gets knotted up, get the knot out before handling a load. It takes time. What would you do if you saw a knot in the load rope? Would you and your crew mates just say, “don’t worry about it”? Is that the smart and safe thing to do, of course not! You may think that it’s no big deal, but now you know better. You know the load and how knots weaken the rope. So being lazy in not an option. That is what gets people killed! Yet so many of you will ignore a knot is a load rope because of the schedule. Steel cables rarely get a knot in them, because steel has different properties and if it gets bound, it may break before it would knot up. I never saw anything like that happen, but it’s possible.You should know by now that a knot weakens a rope by 50% or more. Don’t believe me? I have information below that shows you the rope weakness. Then look at these, http://www.bethandevans.com/pdf/8_strength.pdf and http://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/ and http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Knots/Properties_of_knots and https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/tying-knots-in-rope-s-tension-weakened-strength.344191/. I mean you should know that from your safety training.

The pros of using rope, it’s cheaper and easy to use. The cons are it knots easy, weakens easy, and wears out quickly!

The pros of steel cable is that it’s very strong, easy to spot damage (if you’re looking), and lasts a very long time because it wears slowly. The cons are its very expensive and heavy and harder to work with.

Be smart, be safe, and pay attention. Plan for what you will be doing!

Rope Information

To learn more about rope testing there is a great Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/RopeTestLab/ that shows information on rope stress as well as testing gear.

If you go to http://davidschmidtwriting.com/busted.htm you will see it has a good list of how different knots weaken the rope. David Schmidt has in his blog the following. (He has a great reference!) He is writes for SAIL Magazine Information below is taken from David’s article. This is a good reference. I know most of you use Kevlar or nylon kernmantle ropes so this is mostly for a reference.

1/2-inch double-braid nylon is a dynamic rope (it elongates under load) and is commonly used as docking line or for towing a dinghy. Its rated Broke at is 10,800 lbs.

Bowline: Broke at: 5,983lbs, strength lost: 44.6%

Clove hitch with two half hitches: Broke at: 7,021 lbs, strength lost: 35%

Round turn and two half hitches: Broke at: 5,148 lbs, knot rolled open in all three tests before the rope snapped, knot slipped: 52.33%

Figure 8: Broke at: 6,227 lbs, strength lost: 42.33%

Double fisherman’s knot: Broke at: 5,820 lbs, strength lost: 46.1%

Double-braid splice: Broke at: 8,384 lbs, strength lost: 22.37%

Sta-Set (double-braid polyester) is a static rope that is commonly used for sheets and halyards and as general-purpose cord; 1/2-inch Sta-Set’s rated Broke at is 10,200 lbs.

Bowline: Broke at: 5,617 lbs, strength lost: 44.9%

Clove hitch with two half hitches: Broke at: 6,471 lbs, strength lost: 36.6%

Round turn and two half hitches: Broke at: 6,492 lbs, knot rolled open in all three tests before the rope snapped, knot slipped: 36.37%

Figure 8: Broke at: 5,352 lbs, strength lost: 47.5%

Double fisherman’s knot: Broke at: 5,250 lbs, strength lost: 48.5%

Double-braid splice: Broke at: 8,934 lbs, strength lost: 12.4%

Endura braid (rope with a 100-percent Spectra core and a polyester cover) is a static rope used for sheets and halyards; 1/2-inch Endura Braid’s rated Broke at is 19,300 lbs.

Bowline: Broke at: 7,855 lbs, strength lost: 59.33%

Clove hitch with two half hitches: Broke at: 7,448 lbs, strength lost: 61.44%

Round turn and two half hitches: Broke at: 6,166 lbs, knot rolled open in all three tests before the rope snapped, knot slipped: 68%

Figure 8: Broke at: 7,713 lbs, strength lost: 60%

Double fisherman’s knot: Broke at: 6,268 lbs, strength lost: 67.5%

Core-to-core splice: Broke at: 20,594 lbs, strength lost: 0%

Steel Rope/Cable Information

Steel rope is hard to rate in one table because there are so many different types. Just like rope there are strands that are wrapped around each other and they bound in some way. Normally there is galvanized steel and stainless steel, both very strong.

A good overview is at http://www.wcwr.com/catalog/webcat.pdf to learn more on steel rope and cable. It goes over the types of cable that are out there and what the advantages are.

I got this table from http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wire-rope-strength-d_1518.html where they list the standard rating of wire rope, 6 strand by 19 wire.

Rope Diameter		Minimum Breaking Strength		Safe Load
*(in)*	*(mm)*	*(lb_f)*	*(kN)*	*(lb_f)*	*(kN)*
1/4	6.4	5480	24,4	1100	4.89
5/16	8	8520	37,9	1700	7.56
3/8	9.5	12200	54,3	2440	10.9
7/16	11.5	16540	73,6	3310	14.7
1/2	13	21400	95,2	4280	19.0
9/16	14.5	27000	120	5400	24.0
5/8	16	33400	149	6680	29.7
3/4	19	47600	212	9520	42.3
7/8	22	64400	286	12900	57.4
1	26	83600	372	16700	74.3

Another great steel rope reference is at https://www.wiscolift.com/pages/Wire-Rope-and-Cable.html that shows the rating of cables and the styles which I have listed below.

Another resource is http://www.rigging.net/wire.html where they had this table.

Any comments? Tell me.

For more:

http://www.wirelessestimator.com/industryinfoselect.cfm?categid=319

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_2-1_36.pdf page 5

http://www.sbasite.com/media/Tower%20Safety%20Handbook.pdf

http://www.wcwr.com/catalog/webcat.pdf

http://www.hubbellpowersystems.com/literature/lineman/BR09023E.pdf

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wire-rope-strength-d_1518.html

https://www.hydradynellc.com/t-p_tower_erection_hoists.aspx

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

SOW Tutorial and more Feedback

November 21, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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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.

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!

By the way, if you stuck with me this far, here are some links that you may find useful!
Antenna basics free tutorial http://host.comsoc.org/freetutorial/rohde4/rohde4.html
Cold Stress information http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coldstress/
Wireless Estimator is creating a Wireless Blue Book to help you find all your wireless needs in one location, http://www.wirelessestimator.com/blue-book/#!/
Trauma Kit information https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/critical-mindset-lane-falkner-talks-about-trauma-kits/
NATE webinar NATE Webinar Article…
I have books; please take a look at the new pages I created, http://wadesarver.com/tower-climbing-introduction/ and http://wadesarver.com/field-workers-aid-tower-site-work/ so you can get more information!

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Are Work Schedules Killing the Wireless Field Worker? YES!

November 18, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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Hey, I read an article from Jon Gelman (found here) about workers schedules. If you have the time I seriously recommend reading the article. It explains how so often schedules are completely out of control of the workers. When I read this headline I thought, finally, someone cares about the wireless field worker! However, this bill targets retail, food service, and cleaning industries, people who get to work close to home. (Once again the wireless field worker is ignored!) These industries apparently have rough schedules. This is a bill being proposed here in the states by Iowa Democrat Senator Tom Harkin that is going to change that. I don’t know this senator at all, or anything he has done, but I would like to see a bill like this one, found here, for the wireless field worker. Why? Because it focuses on how the workers lives that are greatly affected by their work schedules. This is because businesses often put the job first and families second. You see this when companies put the profits first by laying people off and working the people they have three times as hard to save the company, profits first. This bill is supposed to help people with their families and with continuing education. So let’s talk about why they are doing this, first off it has come to the attention of the government that the workers families can be devastated by these grueling schedules. People just can’t maintain a healthy family life nor can they continue to educate themselves. This will provide the workers with a schedule 2 weeks in advance and provide them with extra pay if they are sent home early without pay. Sound familiar?

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OK, here is where I vent, my opinions below.

Hey Senator Tom Harkin, ever work in wireless? I wonder, does anyone on Capitol Hill understand the wireless worker’s schedule? Schedules in wireless deployments are grueling and painful. When will this be magnified? Workers deserve fair schedules, right? Is it too much to ask to place some sanity in deployments? Did any politician ever work in wireless deployment? I don’t mean as an executive or as a CEO, but doing the field work? The only thing that is fair is……well, for the field worker not much. I mean you have all those perks like low pay, tough schedules, dangerous work, and hoping to get paid. With all of that on your side, why worry? Many wireless deployment companies work their people hard – physically and emotionally – by sending workers all over the country only to let them go the minute the work seems to be drying up. You get to see your family every other weekend and when you get laid off. I really don’t see that as fair. That is why so many of these guys are on the edge, irritable, and ready to explode. Don’t get me wrong, some people like the lifestyle, I would say about 10% in my guesstimate. Many people love climbing, it becomes a passion with many people. I don’t mean just for the thrill but for the combination of the work and product.So much passion can be ruined by these schedules and poor companies. However, if you work for a standup company, good business people, then you will really fall in love with the job and the business.

Schedules, family life, and pressure were the themes at the TIRAP conference, information found here and here. I think it’s amazing how long it is taking to get word to the US government beyond the DOL and FCC! How do we get the word to politicians? They seem to listen to carriers about the woes of the spectrum auctions.

The worker will need to find a way to get the word to the people who make the laws if they want to find a cure for this. Many wireless field workers deal with insane schedules, crazy jobs, remote locations, health hazards, corrupt employers, and mental health abuse. All this and then they find out that their per Diem has been cut or their paycheck is late or that when they return they are laid off. WOW! What a career move. Don’t forget that if there is an accident and the job is not complete they may not get paid! If they do have an accident, then they will be surrounded by lawyers who may want to blame them. All this and they have injuries that they will live with for the rest of their lives. Like they wanted to live this way for the rest of their live!

It is the old adage, if a climber gets laid off, does the customer care? Apparently not, but when the carrier lays off people it makes major news. Think about it. Did you read about Sprint lately? The funny thing is when they have a lay off people the stock value usually goes up, rewarding the stock holders for letting people go. I get it – the company is saving money by letting people go. There could be many reasons – the market changes, the management team planned poorly or could not grow the company or changing direction so now it’s time to make drastic changes. Everyone appreciates the downsizing, except the people who got laid off collecting unemployment. It really sucks for them. They need to find work in an industry that is tough to work in. They hit the streets to compete with their former co-workers for a new job.

I recently talked to someone who left the industry for different work, this was awhile ago but I remember he said in his email to me that “My worst day in this job is better than my best day as a climber.” He understood how hard the industry is to work in when the very people you are helping do everything they can to devalue your livelihood. He may be reading this so he knows who he is. If he reads this I am sure he will comment.

So, it’s great that the retail, food service, and cleaning industries have an advocate in government working for them. Who is the wireless worker’s advocate? Please, fill me in. I look to the FCC and the DOL, (OSHA), as our friends and allies looking out for us in Washington. Maybe we need a senator or a congressman who wants the madness to end. Who is it? Please tell me! Who will help the wireless field worker?

Be smart, be safe, and pay attention.

Guess what?!! I have finished a training video for the SOW. I will write a post on it but if you’re interested, I have information and discounts below.

The price for the Scope of Work training is $24.99 but I have discounts for those of you who read this.

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Loyalty versus Lowest Bidder in Wireless

November 15, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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I was reading a book where they mentioned how purchasing is done differently among companies and people. We all want a good price for what we get, right? Well, is the lowest price always the best? Sometimes it’s good enough. What about when getting high-end work done? Is it lowest bidder good enough for a wireless deployment? That is how most of the business is done. Except maybe among broadcast where they usually only put out the bid to people or companies they really trust. They know who is good and who is not, at least they used to. They usually build loyalty into the offer.

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Today’s world revolves around investors, who really have very little loyalty beyond the bottom line. I see it often where a contractor may have a horrible reputation but continues to get work because they are very cheap. It takes awhile before they are found out to be cutting corners or not paying people.

Many companies have lists of contractors that they know are not good, or don’t meet their standards. They also keep lists of acceptable vendors that were pre-qualified. The idea is that they have at least showed their qualifications on paper before getting the work. Then they need to win some jobs and get the work. If they do good work then they can be rated or graded on the work they have done. This is a normal system.

However, what happens when a company gets caught doing shoddy work? It seems some people change company names and they are back in the game. How can we stop this? We will have to do the due diligence by researching the bad seeds. This is why there are some people who are blacklisted in the industry. We just need to make sure that the blacklisting is justified. This is where loyalty and reputation come into play.

So loyalty between a sub and a company is earned, not given. Once you meet the minimum requirements you must do the work and do it well. If a company puts a contractor on the short list, it should be for good reason, either that company does great work or a particular crew really impressed the customer. That often is the case, where there is the “A” team that can really impress. We can’t all be on the A team but if you work harder to care for the customer’s needs then you will make a positive impression. Customers need to have someone they trust to do good work and be honest with them. Is that you?

Now, what about that crew that stinks? You know who I mean, the ones that run out of hardware so they use tie wraps to finish securing the mount because it’s Friday and they don’t want to do a return trip. Maybe you didn’t see the crew that did it but you saw the work. How does that not make it into the close out package? Do you report that to the tower owner? That is one more thing we need.

It’s hard to bring you’re “A” game when the customer might not pay you or if you are working for a customer that may be on thin ice. Sometimes the contractor does not pay its subs. This causes so many problems in the industry. If the customer hires someone they trust then they know the payment terms. If the sub is working for someone new or someone who is a piss poor manager, then payment will be late or not happen at all. The end customer suffers, the sub suffers, and people spend the rest of the time pointing fingers. That is going to destroy trust. If the PM purposely screws a crew by not paying the workers for getting the job 80% done then bringing in a cheaper crew to finish it just to pay the last crew a lot less money. That is just shameful. This is another issue with trust among workers in the industry. Loyalty and trust is a 2 way street not only to be earned by the hard-working crews but by the customer who is supposed to pay them and treat them fair!

Again, trust is earned and it’s a 2 way street. Remember that there are project managers that take pride in cheating hard-working crews because they think they are saving money but it really hurts the industry. When will this stop? Let’s hope today, but let’s face it, there will always be snakes in the industry, or any industry for all that matters. We need to get names of these people so we know who to trust. Names should be on a loyalty list of naughty and nice people to work with.

This industry is small, what comes around goes around like Karma on here we need to play well with everyone. Just because you compete against someone doesn’t mean they are the enemy. You may have to work together on a future job or you may team up one day. So treat your fellow workers with respect and learn from them and teach them something. We all need to learn to work together. Loyalty in the industry among coworkers is just as important as loyalty between customer and contractor.

Loyalty needs to be earned and it is hard to gain back once it’s lost. So many times there are people associated with bad companies. All you can do is work hard to regain trust and respect. It is not easy but it can be done. We all need to learn from our mistakes. The lowest bidder and the layers of subs really can cause problems in any industry. So let’s be fair when we bid and let’s understand the scope of work so we can all be fair to the workers as to not get in over our heads!

So let me ask you something, if you needed brain surgery or a heart transplant, would you put it out to the lowest bidder? Maybe it would be nice to have someone with a good reputation, a name that you can trust, someone who you got to know and someone you can trust. It should be the same in the wireless deployment industry. After all, if they could do the work themselves they would, but they don’t because it is a specialty.

The wireless deployments are not going to end anytime soon. It is time to build loyalty among the players in this industry. Let’s build a wireless industry based on trust. We need good leadership to do that. It is something that will be earned over time. Let’s each start with ourselves, let’s do the best we can for our own sake to make this the best industry to work in. In the wireless deployment industry we are looking at NATE, CTIA, FCC, OSHA, DOL, and each other for leadership. We now have TIRAP. They are the groups working to make sure that there are examples of safety and workmanship. It is up to each person out there working to align with the leadership and become a leader in their company. To become the poster child for quality and safety for fellow workers to follow should be the goal. Just because I say align doesn’t mean we should follow blindly, we all need to point out faults when we see them. Here is your chance to set the example of being the best worker you can be in safety and quality. With enough people working hard to be the example them more people will want to align and follow only to become the future leaders.

I was talking to Richard Bell, the owner of Bell Tower, and he is setting the example of how to act in this industry. He is 73 years old and a neat guy to chat with. He has safety on his mind even now, he knows so much about the industry and he shares all of his information with everyone. Go to his web page and you will see his safety policy. He shares it with everyone, there are no secrets there. This guy is setting a great example! http://www.belltowercorp.com/safety_first.htm

Tell me what do you think?

My SOW training will be out next week. My big release will be soon! Make sure you tune in!

Be smart, be safe, and pay attention.

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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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Tower Injuries: Is this the Price of doing Business?

November 9, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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I was having a conversation the other day when someone told me about an injury. The lawyers became involved almost immediately, as they always do. The lawyer told the family that injuries are the price of doing business for wireless carriers. Can you imagine? That this is what the legal system thinks of our industry?

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I am so angry about this but it is the opinion of the outsiders looking in. This is something that has to change. I have heard this so many times, so many things that give the industry a black eye. Injuries should not be one of them. Can we shape up? Of course, look at all of the tower companies out there that want to end any type of injury in the field. When I spoke to Liz Day, the woman who put together the Pro-Publica tower climber report, References here and here and here, she told me that everybody she talked to was so open about accidents. From the companies that had serious injuries to the companies that had fatalities. Everyone was quick to talk about how to make the industry better. They all wanted to achieve a safer and healthier injury rate. I don’t think anyone wants any of this to happen.

So why the bad reputation? You know, it is easy to point to the individual, and blame them. Isn’t that the first thing that happens in an accident? What about equipment failure? It happens. What about when something on the tower is not installed correctly? That is very common. What about lack of training? Yes, common problem.

This is completely different that the Price of Doing Business!

Haven’t we tackled of all these problems? Haven’t we done all we can to make these problems go away? And yet, 11 deaths this year as of November, I pray there are no more. Please, no more injuries this year. Imagine how many we don’t hear about. Imagine all the people who get hurt and we never know.

What can we do? The FCC and DOL are stepping in by forming TIRAP, information here and here, and we hope that forming an organized system will help. It is still voluntary.

What about the pay structure? Are people getting paid? Are contractors being treated fair? Well, that all depends who you talk to. If someone can’t complete a job because they got hurt, what happens? Does the job stop? Chances are they will bring someone else in to complete the job and the injured contract won’t get paid. Talk about a kick to the crotch. So apparently the system has problems with payments. Why is that when the carriers are spending so much money to build these systems?

It appears that the prime directive is money and schedule. After all time is money but what is a life worth? Apparently not much when it comes to deployment. After all, 11 deaths this year, and DOL, OSHA, the FCC, and all the tower companies are working towards a better industry. So where is the problem? OSHA created the Communications Towers Website so we can track such things. They created TIRAP. They had a workshop. Yet, the reputation around the industry is that injury and death is part of doing business.

I was talking to someone this morning that mentioned that several contractors have a list of companies that they list as “DO NOT USE” because they treat climbers bad, they cheat subs out of getting paid, and quite frankly they are unscrupulous people. I know every industry has this. I have seen it in construction, same scenario where when one company gets a bad reputation they simply open up under a new name. Why is this happening in the wireless industry? Because it is a booming business where people smell money. I have seen big businesses change their practices because under the leadership they look for a way to downsize to save money. It happens because their priorities shift and they choose to treat people as a faceless resource who they just want people gone. I get it, big companies may pay better, but some of them have poor leadership. Leadership matters. That is why I respect someone like Dave Anthony of Shenandoah Tower Service who was at the TIRAP workshop. He not only practices what he preaches, he lives it. He cares for his business and his employees. Not all employees care, another issue but one I don’t have time to address here. I just have to say it is hard to filter through the crap to get to the truth on all sides.

So what can we do? Work together to make it a better industry. You are always going to have personality clashes but I would like to think we can all work together to weed out the scum who craps on the worker.

Communication is a big problem! I see so many projects where you may have a crew show up to see that no one knew they were coming. Why is that? How does that happen? Too many project managers? Poor leadership on a project? All too common.

So here is what I would propose, the customer should have a feedback line or email or website that the worker, the contractor who is actually doing the work can tell the customer about the GC or turf vendor they are working with. Sometimes the company isn’t bad, it’s just one jerk that is causing problems. I have seen it in my companies where customers will request one person because they trust them and they know they can count on them. Yet the company will not eliminate the problems. Sometimes we should honor the customer’s request.

If the customers started a database of problems companies and problems people, it may help. It may cause problems for some good people, so once again you need a bull crap filter. This is no easy task!

So listen, if you’re starting out, it will take some time to work up to getting work for the big boys. So make those connections, do good work, build a good reputation and honor your workers and your customer and the team will make your company earn a great reputation in the industry. Hopefully you will get to the point where you can pick your customers, that is a great place to be.

Work hard, be safe, be smart, and pay attention.

Let me know what you think!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Climbing Alone and more Feedback

November 5, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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So, did you ever try to climb quickly just to get things done? You’re alone and thought it wouldn’t take long so you would go up to finish something. First off, you should not climb alone, second always be 100% tied off no matter what. I wanted to bring this up because it should go without saying. I know that tower workers are quick to criticize anyone who can’t rescue a fellow climber, but if you are alone, then no one can rescue you! If you are alone, no one can call for help! If you are alone then no one can do anything. Do you remember when that fellow fell in Texas? He was found beside the tower. He was there for maintenance repair and then someone found him 30 feet from a tower near Bluetown, Texas tower, post here. The company sent him out there alone! This man was Ronaldo Eduardo Smith, according to Sheriff Omar Lucio. He was 62 years old, climbing alone, no one is sure how high he was on that 1,000 foot tower. Unfortunately I could not get more information. This happened about the same time that the West Virginia accident happened. So here we are, 9 months later and we don’t know any more that we did that day except his name and that he is gone. So sad, our prayers go out to his family.

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Listen, I climbed alone, I would call in when I started to climb, called in when I reached my height, and called in when I was heading down, and called in when I got on the ground. Did that make it right or smart, no, I was completely stupid! I want to make sure no one makes the same mistakes I did! I want to get the word out that the money is not worth the risk! I want to make sure that OSHA and TIRAP are doing all that they can to make sure that everyone who works in the tower industry is 100% safe! Many of you think that it may not be possible to get to 0% fatalities, 0% accidents, but I don’t! I just think we need to work as a team and try harder! Did you ever hear of Albert Einstein, not a climber but he had a great quote. Quoting the great Mr. Einstein, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Any idea what he means? I will tell you how I interpret this, we can’t use the same methods we were using when we created all of these problems! So we now have 100% tie off, which from what I hear only about 20% of you actually follow! Not an accurate number, just some of the feedback I am getting from people who brag about it on Facebook. Are you being as safe as you can be? Do you think about what you’re going to do before you do it? Or do you think, “That won’t happen to me!” Just like climbing alone, most people think nothing will happen to them, and chances are good that only about 10% will die. Are you one in 10? Let’s quote the great Clint Eastwood from his character “Dirty Harry” movie, video clip here, “You have got to ask yourself, do I feel lucky? Well do ya punk?” So think about it, do you feel you are too good to have an accident or too lucky?

This wasn’t a tower climber but a mountain climber that fell 40 foot off of First Flatiron in Chautauqua Park in Boulder County, Colorado. He thought he could climb alone without safety gear. This is a good example of what happens when you don’t have safety gear. I wanted to get this out because people thought it was a tower climber, links below. Thank you Dave Harrison! You are the man!

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_26843731

http://kwgn.com/2014/11/01/man-climbing-alone-without-gear-seriously-injured-in-flatirons-fall/

http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2014/11/01/climber-injured-in-fall/18345013/

http://kdvr.com/2014/11/01/man-climbing-alone-without-gear-seriously-injured-in-flatirons-fall/

Hey, just to offer you a helpful link, http://www.rfwireless-world.com/calculators/ is something that someone sent me and I thought I would share with you. It is a good reference for some RF formulas that may help you work in your job. Trust me when I say most stuff today is fixed but in case you actually get to do some RF work, it may help. Something that is really cool is their RF Exposure calculator, it is pretty neat because they not only let you enter the values, but they show you the formulas. See if there is anything you can use on there.

Tell me, what do you think about this?

More Feedback!

So here is more feedback.

Someone responded on the “Let’s all TIRAP, FCC and DOL team up” post.

Comment: I work for Premier Utility Service! I’ve been climbing for 3 years now and absolutely see the need for an apprenticeship! It is so great that the industry is finally taking the correct steps to better the future of all of us in the telecommunications industry!
Thank you for being such an advocate for all of us. Being that you attended the event I had a couple of questions for you!
Is there an estimated length for the apprenticeship? And when is the expected date for completion of the program?
Thank you

Response: Thank you sir! I appreciate the words of encouragement. There are so many ways to learn about safety and it is up to all of us to make sure that we can all stand for a safe work environment. For information go to http://www.tirap.org/ and here is what I know. The expected length of the apprenticeship doesn’t seem to be set, and I don’t know if they have a set length. I am thinking it has less to do with a time period and more has to do with skills and training. I don’t have a date for program completion at this time but I do have an email into them for more information. It is taking longer than expected to get a response. Once I do, and if I get permission, I will write something up. Just because you get answers doesn’t mean they will let me print it. I had some interviews with the FCC and they would not let me associate their name with anything in print. For more on TIRAP here and here and here. More information on guidelines here and here.

This will not be easy, since the lowest bidder gets the work. We will need to make sure that we have good and realistic pricing to start with. There will always be someone who thinks they can do it for less, but I think the carriers will have a responsibility to make sure that the climbing companies are doing everything as safe as they should be. They need to help us help ourselves. I am talking safety, but also in getting the crews paid! It is impossible to be safe when you don’t get paid! So if they have a turf vendor who won’t pay, then they should find a new manager for their contractor! We all need to do the best work we can so we can get paid in a timely manner. The acceptance process needs to be improved!

Next comment is from the “Notes on Workshop on Tower Climber Safety” post.

Comment: That workshop meeting reads as though it has a great consensus for all to build a common safety & procedures platform for us all to work from which will help all of us tower worker bees immensely. I look around my tower crew workers & worry & wonder who will be my first tower worker that may chose to ignore their safety training & get themselves or somebody else injured or killed? I am going to pass along & have parts of your article read aloud plus parts of the workshop meeting since our weekly safety meeting on the fall protection subject normally amounts to 100% of our worker having no feedback or suggestions. It’s amazing that they must perceive that everything is perfect until they arrive at their tower site & everything is not. It is a difficult job for tower climbers & ground crew to adjust & adapt to daily changing safety challenges! My hat is off to those of you that were able to make time to attend & participate at the workshop.

Response: Thank you for the feedback and I really appreciate the support. This made me happy that I went! Knowing that you appreciate the notes on this makes me understand how important this was for the industry! You make a great point, nothing is ever perfect when you arrive, and no climber has a perfect life! Far from it! Tower climbers deal not only with work problems, like when they who up at the site something is missing or something is in the way or something is hanging where you need to put your equipment. They deal with financial problems like customers not paying or the boss being late with a paycheck or the boss not covering expenses for the tower climber. They also deal with personal problems, like marital problems from being away from home for long periods of times and missing their children growing up. They deal with work personnel, let’s face it, there are some great guys in the industry, but we have our share of jerks! Those jerks could cause a problem when on the tower putting people at risk. I just brought up some common issues that you need to be aware of if you don’t know what the climber has to deal with. It is not an easy job that is why for some it is a passion to not only climb but to do the best they can do to be safe and do a good job! While most tower climbers really care, like the both of these people who left comments, many do not care. It is just a job or a way to kill time or something they do just to impress the women! I say that because most of the female climbers I talk to seem to be more conscientious than many men and really care. It seems like there are a bunch of guys out there that need to be straightened out. My opinion!

OK, let’s end this by announcing that NATE is going to have a webinar on December 9^th if interested, http://natehome.com/2014/11/04/dont-miss-the-live-nate-webinar-on-december-9-2014/ about the “Achieving Zero Injuries – Best Practices in Workplace Safety” that I will listen to. Oh, Todd Schlekeway, if you read this, please put a meeting invite in the article so I can add it to my calendar. Just being selfish here but the sooner I put it in the better chance I have of making it. This is probably more for the tower crew owners because it is presented by the law firm of Fisher and Phillips. Presentation by Edwin G. Foulke, Jr who is a partner there.

OK, finally, support Hubble, they care for you tower workers! Did you hear that? Gette and Kathy are very passionate people who give every moment of their spare time to the families of the tower workers. Why, because they have been through tragedies of the wireless industry! They have suffered the tragic loss of someone they loved. Someone who they loved dearly, someone they thought they could not live without. Someone that they would like to be remembered forever by their work in this charity! Do you want to be remembered for something good? Do you want to leave a legacy of helping people? These two women suffered more than anyone should. Did they quit on life? Maybe for a little while due to grief, but then they came fighting back to help your families tower workers. Isn’t it time you give something back? Isn’t it time to show you care? Isn’t it time you fulfilled your legacy of helping a fellow climber’s family? Just do what you think is right! These people are here to help and help they have, so I am thinking it’s time you return the favor! Click on the picture below to go to the website!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

The Price of Safety!

October 30, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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Deploy with the Wireless Deployment Handbook eBook that covers professional carrier end to end deployment of LTE small cells, CRAN, and DAS to show you the proper way to plan for deployment then execute, planning and action without the mistakes.

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!

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 17^th, 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.

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Feedback from You on Shocked Climber and RF Radiation

October 24, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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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!

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/

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Climber Shocked 130 foot up on Tower!

October 18, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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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?

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

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

October 18, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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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!

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

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Tag Archives: tower climber

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Are Work Schedules Killing the Wireless Field Worker? YES!

Loyalty versus Lowest Bidder in Wireless

Tower Injuries: Is this the Price of doing Business?

Climbing Alone and more Feedback

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The Price of Safety!

Feedback from You on Shocked Climber and RF Radiation

Climber Shocked 130 foot up on Tower!

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

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Rope Information

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