OSHA, FCC collaborate on guide for communication tower workers

Washington – OSHA and the Federal Communications Commission have published a best practices guide intended to reduce injuries among communication tower workers.

Introduced June 1, the guide is a compilation of advisory information gathered from dual OSHA-FCC workshops on communication tower worker safety in October 2014 and February 2016.

“These best practices are focused on the ways in which each level in the contracting chain can build a positive culture of safety and accountability,” the document states. “This cultural change is a critical first step in creating a safer environment for all employees in the industry.”

Topics covered in the publication include training; worksite safety practices, auditing and incident investigations; and recordkeeping and communication.

“As more Americans use mobile devices to call, text and stream content, the safety of workers who maintain and construct communications towers is more critical than ever,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dorothy Dougherty and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a joint statement. “Every day, communications tower workers face potential hazards that can be deadly if not performed safely, and dozens of fatalities have occurred over the past few years. Every tower climber death is preventable.”