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To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and
health topics, contact the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) at

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Cincinnati, OH 452261998

Telephone: 180035NIOSH (18003564674)

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DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2001156

July 2001
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Falls

during Construction and Maintenance of

Telecommunication Towers

WARNING!
Workers involved in construction and maintenance of
telecommunication towers are at high risk of fatal falls.

WORKERS should take the following steps to Ensure that workers use 100% fall protection
protect themselves from falls during tower when working on towers at heights above
construction and maintenance: 25 feet.

Use 100% fall protection when working on tow Provide workers with a 100% fall-protection
ers at heights above 25 feet. system compatible with tower components and
the tasks to be performed.
Participate in all training programs offered by
your employer. Ensure that gin poles are installed and used
Follow safe work practices identified by worker according to the specifications of the manufac
training programs. turer or a registered professional engineer.

Use OSHA-required personal protective Ensure that tower erectors are adequately
equipment and make sure you are trained in its trained in proper climbing techniques, includ
proper use. ing sustaining three-point contact.
Inspect equipment daily and report any dam Provide workers with OSHA-required personal
age or deficiencies to your supervisor
protective equipment and training in its proper
immediately.
use.

EMPLOYERS should take the following steps to Ensure that workers inspect their equipment
reduce the risk of worker injuries and deaths from daily to identify any damage or deficiencies.
falls during tower construction and maintenance:
Provide workers with an adequate work-posi
Comply with OSHA Compliance Directive tioning device system. Connectors on position
21.29. ing systems must be compatible with the tower
Ensure that hoisting equipment used to lift components to which they are attached.
workers is designed to prevent uncontrolled
descent and is properly rated for the intended Supplement worker training on safe work prac
use. tices with discussions of FACE case reports.

Ensure that hoist operators are properly Know and comply with child labor laws that pro
trained. hibit hazardous work by workers under age 18.

Please tear out and post. Distribute copies to workers. See back of sheet to order complete Alert.
For additional information, see NIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths
from Falls during Construction and Maintenance of Telecommunication
Towers [DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001156]. Single copies of the Alert
are available free from the following:

NIOSHPublications Dissemination

4676 Columbia Parkway

Cincinnati, OH 452261998

Telephone: 180035NIOSH (18003564674)

Fax: 5135338573

E-mail: pubstaft@cdc.gov

or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh

Department of Health and Human Services


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Falls

during Construction and Maintenance of

Telecommunication Towers

WARNING!
Workers involved in construction and maintenance of
telecommunication towers are at high risk of fatal falls.

The National Institute for Occupational hold transmitting devices for cellular phones,
Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests as personal communication services, and tele
sistance in preventing deaths and inju vision and radio broadcast antennas. The
ries from falls of workers during Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
construction and maintenance of tele estimates that at least 75,000 telecommu
communication towers. Recent NIOSH nication towers have been constructed in
fatality investigations suggest that em the United States, and industry groups in
ployers, supervisors, workers, tower dicate that more than 1,000 telecommuni
owners, tower manufacturers, and cation towers are erected each year
wireless service carriers may not rec [Chiles 1997]. The Telecommunications Act
ognize or appreciate the serious fall of 1996 (Public Law 104104) is expected
hazards associated with tower con to promote more tower construction to
struction and maintenance. As a result, meet the increased demand for wireless
they may not follow safe work practices communication services [OSHA 1998].
for controlling these hazards. This Alert
describes seven deaths resulting from Telecommunication towers may be of sev
falls during construction and mainte eral types and range in height from 100 to
nance of telecommunication towers. 2,150 feet or more [OSHA 1998]. Three
The Alert also includes recommenda general forms of telecommunication tow
tions for preventing similar incidents. ers are
The seven deaths were investigated by
the NIOSH Fatality Assessment and monopoles that consist of tapered
Control Evaluation (FACE) Program. steel tubes that fit over each other to
form a stable pole,
BACKGROUND guyed towers that are stabilized by
tethered wires, and
The widespread use of wireless communi
cation services has resulted in the con self-supporting towers that are free
struction of telecommunication towers to
standing lattice structures (Figure 1).

Monopole Self-Supporting Guyed

100200 feet tall 100400 feet tall 1002,150 feet tall

Figure 1. Tower types.

Telecommunication towers are generally SIC* 623Water, sewer, pipeline, and


manufactured as sections and constructed communications and power line con
onsite by hoisting each section into place struction (subcategoryradio trans
and bolting sections together. Some mod mitting tower construction)
els of shorter towers are self-erecting. For
most towers that are constructed onsite, SIC 1731Electrical work (subcate
cranes and gin poles attached to the tower gorytelecommunications equipment
being erected are generally used to hoist installation)
each section into place. A gin pole is a de
SIC 1791Structural steel erection
vice unique to the telecommunication tower
industry. The gin pole is used to raise suc SIC 1799Special trade contractors
cessive sections of steel, equipment, or not elsewhere classified (subcategory
workers into position. This temporary lift antenna installation, except household
ing device uses cables and pulleys to al type)
low enough head room to accommodate
the length of the next tower section or
In addition to telecommunication towers,
equipment being installed (Figure 2).
transmitting devices for wireless commu
nication services are often mounted on the
The exact number of workers involved in
roof perimeters of buildings, exposing
tower construction and maintenance is un
workers to fall hazards. However, the
known. Workers are categorized in a vari
mounting and maintenance of these de
ety of occupational subgroups for which
vices on buildings require fall protection
employment data are collected. These
measures that are not addressed in this
groups include communications workers,
document.
painters, steel erectors, and electrical and
electronic equipment repairers. This type
of work also occurs in several industrial *
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) [OMB
subgroups such as the following: 1987].

2 Telecommunication Towers
CURRENT STANDARDS
Gin pole head assembly
Load line
Jump plate OSHA
Hook block
The Occupational Safety and Health Ad
Gin pole Tower section ministration (OSHA) safety standard for
Bridle Choker fall protection in the construction industry
Tag line [29 CFR 1926, Subpart M] excludes steel
erection activities on nonbuilding struc
Jump line Gin pole tures such as towers. Subpart R of the
OSHA fall protection standard in construc
Tower tion [29 CFR 1926] has a proposed effec
Basket choker tive date of September 18, 2001, and does
not apply to transmission towers, commu
nication and broadcast towers, and tanks.

Figure 2. Gin pole attached to Compliance Directive


communication tower.
To address hazards associated with tele
communication tower construction and
maintenance, OSHA formed a multiagency
FATALITY DATA Tower Task Force in August 1997. The
Task Force (with representatives from
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Regional and Federal OSHA offices, the
(CFOI) is a multisource data system main Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S.
tained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to Army Corps of Engineers, NIOSH, the
identify work-related deaths in the United U.S. Navy, and others) has worked with
States. A NIOSH review of the CFOI data the National Association of Tower Erectors
identified 118 deaths associated with work (NATE) to develop a compliance directive
on telecommunication towers from 1992 to protect workers from hazards in the
through 1998. These deaths included tower construction industry.
93 falls, 18 telecommunication tower col
lapses, and 4 electrocutions. However, the
number of deaths identified here should be The OSHA compliance directive (CPL 21.29,
considered a minimum because identifica Interim Inspection Procedures During Com
tion methods are not exact [NIOSH 2000a]. munication Tower Construction Activities)
became effective January 15, 1999 [OSHA
Estimates vary greatly about the number 1999]. The directive addresses fall protec
of workers in telecommunication tower con tion and safe tower access during con
struction and maintenance. In 1993, esti struction. Specifically, the directive does
mates ranged from 2,300 to 23,000 workers the following:
in this field [OSHA 1998]. These estimates
suggest fatality rates of 49 to 468 deaths
per 100,000 workersnearly 10 to
100 times the average rate of 5 deaths
Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in
per 100,000 workers across all industries. references.

Telecommunication Towers 3
Establishes uniform policies and pro Worker training
cedures for OSHA compliance officers Use of hoisting equipment that has
when conducting inspections of towers been approved, certified, and/or in
under construction spected by a registered profes
sional engineer or other designated
Describes best practices for use by the professional
industry
Trial lift and proof-testing procedures
Requires telecommunication tower work Pre-lift meetings
ers to maintain 100% fall protection
Documentation of procedures used
when working 25 feet or more above
the ground (this requirement applies to Continuous communication between
workers ascending, descending, or mov hoist operator and workers being
ing from point to point) hoisted
Consideration of environmental con
Specifies procedures and allowable ditions
conditions under which workers may
access the tower by riding the line (a Specifications and maintenance for
practice in which workers are directly hydraulic hoists and gin poles
lifted up a tower by a hoist line):
Addendum on the Use of Gin
Prohibits riding the line for work at Poles
heights less than 200 feet above
the ground. Requires instead that The OSHA Tower Task Force may de
workers access workstations at velop an addendum to the OSHA compli
these heights using conventional ance directive (CPL 2.129) or a new
methods such as climbing with fall directive specific to the use of gin poles.
protection or use of a personnel Such a directive would draw on guidelines
platform that already exist or are under develop
ment [NATE 1998, 1999]. For example,
Permits up to two tower erectors at NATE has developed industry guidelines
a time to ride the line for work at for the use of gin poles. In addition, the
heights more than 200 feet above Telecommunications Industry Association/
the ground when (1) towers are Electronic Industries Association (TIA/EIA)
erected with gin poles, (2) condi is developing a gin pole standard [TIA/EIA
tions preclude the use of a person 2001]. OSHA is considering components
nel platform, and (3) other conven from both the NATE gin pole guidelines
tional methods of climbing using a and the TIA/EIA standard for use in any fu
ladder or other approved climbing ture compliance directive addressing gin
devices might create a greater haz poles.
ard from fatigue or repetitive stress
At a minimum, any future directive on gin
Specifies minimum requirements for poles would require that a registered pro
allowing workers to be hoisted on the fessional engineers drawing be available
hoist line, such as the following: at the site. The drawing must

4 Telecommunication Towers
show the gin pole and its track (if any)
and indicate lifting capacity and the CASE REPORTS
manner of attachment to the tower,
The cases presented here were investi
gated by the NIOSH FACE Program. The
indicate track attachment to at least goal of this program is to prevent occupa
two places (top and bottom), and tional fatalities across the Nation by
(1) identifying and investigating work situa
indicate how high the gin pole can be tions that involve high risk for worker injury
raised above its uppermost attach and (2) formulating and disseminating pre
ment to the tower. vention strategies.

In addition, any future directive would


require inspection records, documented
Case 1
worker training, and an anti-two block device
On December 3, 1999, the 40-year-old
(a device that prevents contact between the
owner of a tower-painting company, his
lower load block or hook assembly and the
16-year-old stepson, and a 19-year-old
gin pole head assembly).
employee died after falling 1,200 feet to
the ground. The company had been at the
Fair Labor Standards Act and site for 2 weeks repairing the beacon light
Youth Employment at the top of a 1,500-foot radio broadcast
tower, painting the tower, and installing
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rest platforms. On the day of the incident,
[29 USC 201 et seq.] includes work de the owner had planned to work on the
clared hazardous for youth by the Secre beacon light at the top of the tower while
tary of Labor. Hazardous Order No. 7 the other two workers continued painting the
Power Driven Hoisting Apparatus Occu tower. A 3,000-foot length of -inch nylon
pations prohibits workers under age 18 rope and a 1,000-pound-capacity portable
from work in all occupations involved in the electric capstan hoist were used to raise
operation of a power-driven hoisting appa the workers up the outside of the tower.
ratus, including riding on a manlift. The Act Three loops were tied into the hoist line ap
defines the term manlift as a device in proximately 6 feet apart. The workers used
tended for the conveyance of persons these loops to help them ride the hoist line.
which consists of platforms or brackets The stepson was first on the line, followed
mounted on, or attached to, an endless by the 19-year-old, and then the company
belt, cable, chain, or similar method of sus owner. Using a length of woven rope, the
pension; such belt, cable, or chain operat workers had attached one of the rest plat
ing in a substantially vertical direction and forms to the end of the nylon rope 62
being supported by and driven through inches below the last loop. The company
pulleys, sheaves, or sprockets at the top owners wife was operating the capstan
and bottom. hoist using a foot pedal located on the
ground. As the wife was hoisting the work
ers up the side of the tower, the hoist line
began to slip around the capstan. The wife
was unable to hold the rope and the work

United States Code. ers fell to the ground. The hoist used in this

Telecommunication Towers 5
incident was not manufactured or rated for side D-rings on their body harnesses. The
lifting people. In addition, the load was terminal devices on the coworkers lan
likely to have exceeded the lifting capacity yards were two large pelican hooks. The
of the hoist [NIOSH 2000b]. terminal device on one of the victims lan
yards was a large pelican hook, but the
Case 2 other lanyard had a smaller snaphook as a
terminal device. The victim began to at
On December 8, 1998, a 21-year-old male tach a coaxial phone cable to an antenna
tower erector died after sliding approxi arm while the coworker, with his back to
mately 1,000 feet down a supporting guy the victim, was attaching cable tray com
wire. The victim and coworkers were at ponents to the tower. A short time later, the
taching dampeners to the tower guy victim fell, unwitnessed, from the tower to
wires when the incident occurred. The the ground. The coworker stated that two
tower being constructed was a 1,040-foot, pelican hooks were necessary because
high-definition digital television tower. the smaller snaphook could not be at
When the incident occurred, the victim was tached to the larger tower components
at the 1,000-foot level and was wearing a [NIOSH 1999].
positioning safety belt with a T-bar at
tached to the D-rings on his belt. At Case 4
tached to one end of the T-bar was an
adjustable-length lanyard with a large On July 16, 1998, a 23-year-old male tower
hook as its terminal device. Attached to erector died after falling 200 feet from a
the other end of the lanyard was a large telecommunication tower while attached
hook. The victim placed the large hook to an 80-foot section of cable tray. He
over the guy wire but did not attach the ad was a member of a nine-man crew erect
justable lanyard to the tower before sliding ing a 240-foot, three-sided telecommuni
out on the guy wire. Although he had one cation tower. The crew bolted a 140-foot
foot draped over the wire, he could not section of the tower together on the ground.
keep himself from sliding. The victim slid Next this section was set in place by a
rapidly down the wire, striking the anchor crane. The workers then erected the final
point of the guy wire. He was pronounced 100-foot section on the ground, and three
dead at the scene [Missouri FACE 1998]. tower erectors climbed the 140-foot sec
tion. The final section was set in place by
Case 3 the crane, and the workers bolted the two
sections together. The crane then lifted an
On November 13, 1998, a 41-year-old 80-foot section of cable tray to the top of
male tower erector fell 240 feet from a each side of the tower. As each section
260-foot telecommunication tower while was lifted into place, an erector began to
attempting to install a new phone service attach it to the tower using four J bolts
device on the tower. The victim and a every 10 feet. The victim began working
coworker attached their lanyards to the down the tower, attaching the cable tray
cable climb positioned on one leg of the and tightening all bolted connections as he
tower and climbed to the 240-foot level of descended. After approximately 1 hour,
the tower. The owner and a third tower the victim was at the 200-foot level of the
erector remained on the ground. Both workers tower. The victim then repositioned him
wore two 6-foot lanyards attached to the self and connected both of his lanyards to

6 Telecommunication Towers
the partially attached cable tray. Shortly A hoist that is not rated to hoist workers
thereafter, the section of cable tray gave
way, falling to the ground with the victim at Truck-crane failure
tached [NIOSH 1998a].
Inadequate fall protection
Case 5 Failure to attach the lanyard to the
tower
On December 8, 1997, a 32-year-old male
tower erector was working with a crew of Terminal devices on the lanyard that are
two others on a 160-foot cellular phone not compatible with tower components
tower. The crew had completed the tower
erection and was in the process of lower Attachment of lanyard to unstable tower
ing the gin pole (the lifting device used to components
hoist tower sections into place) to the
ground. The tower erector had removed Failure to ride the line under prescribed
two choker cables securing the upper sec conditions
tion of the gin pole to the tower and was at Inadequate worker training
tempting to ride the hoist cable down to the
two lower chokers. The terminal device on Potential fatigue and repetitive strain
the victims lanyard was a pelican hook
with a 4-inch-wide by 7-inch-long interior Failure by employers, workers, tower own
opening. The terminal device on the hoist ers, tower manufacturers, and wireless
cable was a 3-inch clevis. Either the victim service carriers to address these factors
tried to hook to the cable and missed or the could result in future fatalities.
larger opening of the pelican hook on his
lanyard slipped off the hoist cable. He fell
130 feet to the ground [NIOSH 1998b].
RECOMMENDATIONS

NIOSH recommends that employers and


CONCLUSIONS workers comply with OSHA directives,
maintain equipment, and take the follow
These incidents suggest that employers, ing measures to prevent injuries and
workers, tower owners, tower manufactur deaths when constructing or maintaining
ers, and wireless service carriers may not telecommunication towers.
fully appreciate or recognize the serious
hazards associated with the construction
and maintenance of telecommunication Employers
towers and the need to follow safe work
procedures that include the use of 100% Employers should take the following steps
fall protection. to reduce the risk of worker injuries and
deaths during tower construction and
FACE investigations identified the follow maintenance:
ing contributing factors in fatal falls from
telecommunication towers: Comply with OSHA Compliance Di
rective 21.29 Interim Inspection Pro
Hoist failure cedures During Communication Tower

Telecommunication Towers 7
Construction Activities. OSHA inspec Supplement worker training on safe
tors use these guidelines in tower in work practices with discussions of
spections. Employers should ensure FACE case reports to help assure that
that workers follow these guidelines. workers fully appreciate the serious
hazards involved with their tasks and
Ensure that hoisting equipment used the need for strict safe work practices.
to lift workers is designed to prevent
uncontrolled descent and is properly Know and comply with child labor laws
rated for the intended use. that prohibit hazardous work by work
ers under age 18. An example of haz
Ensure that hoist operators are prop ardous work is any task involving
erly trained. power-driven hoisting apparatus.

Ensure that workers use 100% fall pro Tower Owners and Manufacturers
tection when working on towers at
heights above 25 feet. Tower owners should take the following
steps:
Provide workers with a 100% fall-
protection system compatible with Use contracts requiring that workers
tower components and the tasks to be adhere to OSHA-required safety mea
performed. sures (including Compliance Directive
21.29) while construction or mainte
Ensure that gin poles are installed and nance is being performed on your
used according to the specifications of
towers.
the manufacturer or a registered pro
fessional engineer.
Require contractors to have a formal
Ensure that tower erectors are ade safety and health program relating to
quately trained in proper climbing tower construction and maintenance.
techniques, including sustaining three-
point contact. Include a provision in your contracts
for frequent and regular jobsite inspec
Provide workers with OSHA-required tions by a competent person who has
personal protective equipment and expertise in tower erection and worker
training in its proper use. fall protection.
Ensure that workers inspect their
Both manufacturers and tower owners
equipment daily to identify any dam
should install fall-protection fixtures for
age or deficiencies.
workers to use as anchor points on tower
Provide workers with an adequate components during fabrication or erection.
work-positioning device system. Con
nectors on positioning systems must be Workers
compatible with the tower components
to which they are attached. (Note that a Workers should take the following steps to
work-positioning device system does protect themselves during tower construc
not constitute 100% fall protection.) tion and maintenance:

8 Telecommunication Towers
Use 100% fall protection when working (18003564674), or visit the NIOSH
on towers at heights above 25 feet. Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh.

Participate in all training programs of We greatly appreciate your help in protect


fered by your employer. ing the safety and health of U.S. workers.
Follow safe work practices identified
by worker training programs.
Use OSHA-required personal protec Kathleen M. Rest, Ph.D., M.P.A.
tive equipment and make sure you are Acting Director
trained in its proper use. National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health
Inspect equipment daily and report any Centers for Disease Control and
damage or deficiencies to your super Prevention
visor immediately.

REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CFR. Code of Federal regulations. Wash
The principal contributors to this Alert were ington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Of
Virgil Casini and Dawn N. Castillo of the fice, Office of the Federal Register.
NIOSH Division of Safety Research, and
T.J. Lentz of the NIOSH Education and In Chiles, JR [1997]. We got us some sky to
formation Division. Cases presented in this day, boys. Smithsonian 28:4452.
Alert were contributed by the NIOSH
FACE Project and by Thomas D. Ray of Missouri FACE [1998]. Tower construction
the Missouri State-Based FACE Project. worker dies following 940-foot fall from tele
Additional reports from FACE investiga vision tower. Jefferson City, MO: FACE In
tions are available at the NIOSH internet vestigation No. 98MO161.
site: www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/faceweb.html.
NATE [1998]. NATE Gin Pole Procedures.
San Diego, CA: National Association of
Please direct comments, questions, or re
Tower Erectors. February 6.
quests for additional information to the
following:
NATE [1999]. NATE Large Gin Pole Pro
cedures. New Orleans, LA: National Asso
Dr. Nancy A. Stout, Director ciation of Tower Erectors. February 19.
Division of Safety Research
National Institute for Occupational Safety NIOSH [1998a]. Tower erector dies after
and Health falling 200 feet from telecommunication
1095 Willowdale Road towerNorth Carolina. Morgantown, WV:
Morgantown, West Virginia 265052888 U.S. Department of Health and Human
Telephone: 3042855894 Services, Public Health Service, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Na
For further information about occupational tional Institute for Occupational Safety and
safety and health topics, call 180035NIOSH Health, FACE Report No. 9820.

Telecommunication Towers 9
NIOSH [1998b]. Tower erector dies after National Institute for Occupational Safety
falling 130 feet from hoist cable to ground and Health, FACE Report No. 200007.
Pennsylvania. Morgantown, WV: U.S. De
partment of Health and Human Services, OSHA [1998]. Profile of the wireless tele
Public Health Service, Centers for Disease communications industry and the telecom
Control and Prevention, National Institute munications tower industry. (Contract
for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE No. J9F40013, Jack Faucett Associ
Report No. 985. ates, Bethesda, Maryland.) Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupa
NIOSH [1999]. Tower erector dies after tional Safety and Health Administration.
falling 240 feet from a telecommunications
towerNorth Carolina. Morgantown, WV: OSHA [1999]. CPL 21.29 Interim inspec
U.S. Department of Health and Human tion procedures during communication
Services, Public Health Service, Centers tower construction activities. Washington,
for Disease Control and Prevention, Na DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupa
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and tional Safety and Health.
Health, FACE Report No. 9901.
OMB [1987]. Standard industrial classifi
NIOSH [2000a]. NIOSH analysis of the cation manual. Washington, DC: Execu
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. tive Office of the President, Office of Man
Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health agement and Budget.
and Human Services, Public Health Serv
ice, Centers for Disease Control and Pre TIA/EIA [2001]. Draft Standard, TIA/EIA
vention, National Institute for Occupational PN-4860-Gin Poles. Structural standards
Safety and Health, Division of Safety Re for steel gin poles used for the installation
search. Unpublished. of antenna towers and antenna supporting
structures. Telecommunication Industry
NIOSH [2000b]. Three tower painters die Association/Electronic Industries Associa
after falling 1,200 feet when riding the tion, TR 14.7 Sub-committee, Safety Facil
hoist lineNorth Carolina. Morgantown, ities Task Group.
WV: U.S. Department of Health and Hu
man Services, Public Health Service, Cen USC. United States code. Washington, DC:
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Government Printing Office.

10 Telecommunication Towers

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