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