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PCCA Journal|2

nd

Quarter 2015

43

Safety News

O

SHA is asking the public for information about

worker safety hazards in communication tower con-

struction and maintenance activities. Public input

will help the agency determine what measures are needed to

prevent worker injuries and fatalities.

The following is excerpted from an OSHA press release:

In the past 30 years, the increased demand for wireless

and broadcast communications has spurred dramatic growth

in communication tower construction and maintenance. In

order to erect or maintain communication towers, employees

regularly climb anywhere from 100 to 2,000 feet. Communi-

cation tower workers face the risk of falls from great heights,

structural collapses, electrical hazards, and hazards associ-

ated with inclement weather. OSHA recorded 13 communica-

tion tower worker deaths in 2013, the deadliest year for these

workers since 2006. In 2014, 12 workers were killed which

was double the number of deaths in 2011 and six times the

total number in 2012.

“We understand the importance of this industry, but work-

ers’ lives should not be sacrificed for a better cell phone

signal. OSHA is inviting the public to tell us what we can do

to better protect these workers,” said Dr. David Michaels, as-

sistant secretary for occupational safety and health.

OSHA is requesting information from tower workers,

wireless carriers, engineering and construction management

firms, tower owners, and tower construction and mainte-

nance companies about the causes of employee injuries and

fatalities, and to share best practices used by workers and

employers in the industry to address these hazards.

OSHA Issues Final Rule on

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T

he Occupational Safety and

Health Administration issued a

final rule on May 1 to increase

protections for construction workers in

confined spaces. The standard will be-

come effective in August 3. Following is

an OSHA press release on the new rule.

Manholes, crawl spaces, tanks, and

other confined spaces are not intended

for continuous occupancy. They are

also difficult to exit in an emergency.

People working in confined spaces face

life-threatening hazards including toxic

substances, electrocutions, explosions,

and asphyxiation.

Last year, two workers were asphyxi-

ated while repairing leaks in a manhole,

the second when he went down to save

the first—which is not uncommon in

cases of asphyxiation in confined spaces.

“In the construction industry, entering

confined spaces is often necessary, but

fatalities like these don’t have to hap-

pen,” said Secretary of Labor Thomas E.

Perez. “This new rule will significantly

improve the safety of construction work-

ers who enter confined spaces. In fact,

we estimate that it will prevent about

780 serious injuries every year.”

The rule will provide construction

workers with protections similar to those

manufacturing and general industry

workers have had for more than two de-

cades, with some differences tailored to

the construction industry. These include

requirements to ensure that multiple

employers share vital safety information

and to continuously monitor hazards—a

safety option made possible by techno-

logical advances after the manufacturing

and general industry standards were

created.

“This rule will save lives of construc-

tion workers,” said Assistant Secretary

of Labor for Occupational Safety and

Health Dr. David Michaels. “Unlike most

general industry worksites, construction

sites are continually evolving, with the

number and characteristics of confined

spaces changing as work progresses.

This rule emphasizes training, continu-

ous worksite evaluation, and commu-

nication requirements to further protect

workers’ safety and health.”

Compliance assistance material and

additional information is available on

OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov/con-

finedspaces/index.html.

OSHA Seeks Comment on

Communication Tower Workers Safety