Tower climbers are also known as wireless service technicians, cell site technicians, cell site engineers, aerial technician, field technicians, tower hands, and tower dogs. They specialize in maintenance, installation, and decommissioning of

cellular Cellular may refer to: *Cellular automaton, a model in discrete mathematics * Cell biology, the evaluation of cells work and more * ''Cellular'' (film), a 2004 movie *Cellular frequencies, assigned to networks operating in cellular RF bands *Cell ...

and

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

tower components such as

coaxial cable Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ) is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting shield, with the two separated by a dielectric ( insulating material); many coaxial cables also have a p ...

antennas In radio engineering, an antenna or aerial is the interface between radio waves propagating through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors, used with a transmitter or receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies a ...

, radios,

fiber optic cable A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with ...

and broadcast equipment for

cell phones A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

etc.

Description

Tower climbers perform routine inspections and tests on broadcasting towers, and may also be called upon to perform repairs and to provide input when plans for new equipment are being developed. Along with the installers of the tower antennas, other crews climb the towers to perform condition checks of the towers, guy lines and lighting systems. One of the most demanding aspects of many tower climber jobs is hauling materials and tools up to the proper installation height on the tower. In most cases, the climber scales the tower to the desired height and lowers a rope to a ground crew member who then ties it to a needed part on the ground. The tower worker then pulls the piece up and secures the rope before installing the part onto the tower.

Hazards

Tower climbers may be injured or killed by falling objects, structural collapses and equipment failures. Some of the more frequently encountered hazards include falls from great heights; electrical hazards; hazards associated with hoisting personnel and equipment with base-mounted drum hoists;

inclement weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the tr ...

; and structural collapse of towers.

In the United States

Working on cellphone towers is the deadliest job in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, according to a trade publication, and it has been claimed that the tower climbing industry experiences 10 times more death casualties than the construction workers. There were 50 - 100 deaths from falls from communication towers between 2003 and 2011. The head of the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...

(OSHA) once called tower climbing “the most dangerous job in

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

.”

References

Technicians Construction trades workers Wireless technology people {{Telecomm-stub