PCCA Journal 3rd Quarter 2014 - page 50

PCCA Journal|3
rd
Quarter 2014
50
Safety Watch
Continued from page 49
OSHA Issues New Communication Tower Directive
T
he Occupational Safety and Health Administra-
tion has updated its communications tower di-
rective regarding the use of hoist systems used
to move workers to and from workstations on
communication towers. The agency said the
action “follows an alarming increase in preventable injuries
and fatalities at communication tower work sites.”
OSHA said that more fatalities occurred in this industry in
2013 than in the previous two years combined and that nine
worker deaths have occurred so far in 2014.
“This directive ensures that communication tower workers
are protected regardless of the type of the work they are do-
ing on communication towers,” said Dr. David Michaels, as-
sistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health.
“Employers and cell tower owners and operators must make
sure workers are properly trained and protected.”
The directive outlines the proper use of hoist and other fall
arrest systems and includes detailed information on how to
hoist people safely. The directive updates a 2002 enforcement
policy, which covered only the hoisting of workers to work
stations during new tower erection activities. The updated
policy covers any work on a communication tower, including
both maintenance and new construction, that involves the
use of a hoist to lift workers from one elevated workstation to
another.
The release of the new directive is the latest in a series of
actions OSHA has taken on cell tower safety. The agency is
collaborating with the National Association of Tower Erectors
and other industry stakeholders to ensure that every commu-
nication tower employer understands how to protect workers
performing this high-hazard work.
In February, OSHA sent a letter to communication tower
employers urging compliance and strict adherence to safety
standards and common-sense practices (see sidebar on page
51). OSHA has also created a new web page (
doc/topics/communicationtower/index.html) targeting the
issues surrounding communication tower work. This out-
reach follows a November 2013 memo to OSHA’s compliance
officers and regional administrators mandating increased
attention, education, and data collection on the industry.
OSHA continues to investigate past incidents and will issue
the results as they become available.
Communication towers are on the agency’s regulatory
agenda, and OSHA expects to issue a request for information
later this year.
OSHA Issues Interim Enforcement
Policy 
on Electric Power Generation Rule
O
SHA has implemented
an interim enforcement
policy for the new final
rule on Electric Power
Generation, Transmis-
sion and Distribution; Electrical Protec-
tive Equipment, which became effective
on July 10, 2014.
A memorandum issued to OSHA’s
regional offices explains the interim
policy, which is in effect until October
31, 2014. The policy delays enforcement
of most new requirements for employ-
ers who are complying with the existing
General Industry rule. The memorandum
is at
/
subpartV-enforcement-memo.html.
The final rule revises the 40-year-
old construction standard for electric
power line work to improve workplace
safety and health for workers performing
electric power generation, transmission,
and distribution work. The new rule is
more consistent with the corresponding
general industry standard and makes
some revisions to the construction and
general industry requirements. In ad-
dition, the new standard for electrical
protective equipment applies to all con-
struction work and replaces the existing
construction standard, which was based
on out-of-date information, with a set
of performance-oriented requirements
consistent with the latest revisions of the
relevant consensus standards.
Additional information on the final
rule is available on OSHA’s Electric
Power Generation, Transmission and Dis-
tribution Standard webpage:
.
gov/dsg/power_generation.
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