Frontline: Cell Tower Deaths

[Train]

The whole concept of personal accountability is skewed when the person paying your paycheck says we need that tower done TODAY or we are going to lose our contract and you are going to lose your job knowing full well that using the proper safety equipment assures it unable to be done in to make the deadline... (no pun intended)

BS, they don't hold a gun to your head. These contractors were the greedy one taking on more contracts than they could safely handle.

And the case in the video wasn't about "had to work fast" the guy was hot dogging according to witnesses, while being cheered on by his crew, and then toxicology showed he had smoked marijuana.

Playing around + smoking weed doesn't sound like someone who is under pressure to get the job done, it sounds like an idiot.

 

[xj0hnx]

BS, they don't hold a gun to your head. These contractors were the greedy one taking on more contracts than they could safely handle.

And the case in the video wasn't about "had to work fast" the guy was hot dogging according to witnesses, while being cheered on by his crew, and then toxicology showed he had smoked marijuana.

Playing around + smoking weed doesn't sound like someone who is under pressure to get the job done, it sounds like an idiot.

There's that guy, and the other guy that lived ...why'd he live? Because his safety harness saved his life during a fall, HOLY CRAP!!! Imagine that, wearing the safety gear saves lives? Who would have thought?!?!?!

 

[hal2kilo]

The video states that the rate of deaths is 10 times that of construction workers. I know that when my son trained as a linesman, they had climbing tests. If you didn't climb properly and safely, you were done - you didn't move on, go find a different occupation.

The most important person to prevent these deaths is whoever is in charge at the site. Toward the beginning of the video, a guy was stating that someone who had died was free climbing all the time. The first time he free climbed, whoever the foreman at the site was should have given him a warning, 2nd time, fired.

And, if safety meant $$$$ to companies, I guarantee you that this would happen. The problem is that there's really no accountability - no company to turn to and sue for millions after a worker dies. Thus, with no risk to the company, who cares if guys are acting like idiots.

As roguepower pointed out - at least they're going through the job sites and pointing out and attempting to correct the problems. Quickest way to correct a lot of the problems: fire people (I personally believe in one warning first.)

I work at a government facility with safety people all over the place. They can make you spend time on the beach (day(s) off work) and if you consistently violate the safety rules get fired. That applies to the contractors and sub-contractors.

The problem with the cell tower subcontractors it appears is that they are not willing to police themselves in this manner. Probably because it would cost them too much money to fire then re-hire and train. The exact point of the OP.

 

[jersiq]

When I was a site technician for a large company, we were routinely told that if we came upon a site where a tower crew was acting outside of safety protocols that they are to immediately get off the tower and likely their contract would be terminated. A new crew will come onsite to finish the work.

There was zero tolerance for finding negligent workers at a cell site. We seem to be getting a very one sided story here.

 

[werepossum]

These guys are trying. Climbing up and down the tower safely with all those packets adds a lot of latency, they just figured rapelling down would lower ping times.

LOL Yeah, but it's one very loud ping at the bottom.

 

[joutlaw]

Seems like with all of this technology in the world, someone could invent a way to safely tether the climbers to the poles without slowing them down.

 

[13Gigatons]

When I was a site technician for a large company, we were routinely told that if we came upon a site where a tower crew was acting outside of safety protocols that they are to immediately get off the tower and likely their contract would be terminated. A new crew will come onsite to finish the work.

There was zero tolerance for finding negligent workers at a cell site. We seem to be getting a very one sided story here.

What company and what year was that ?

The industry has changed a lot since the 90's....now it's low pay and dumb kids who aren't trained properly.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

What company and what year was that ?

The industry has changed a lot since the 90's....now it's low pay and dumb kids who aren't trained properly.

Is that statement based off your opinion and this thread about the PBS documentary or because you've actually worked in the field?

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Why are you guys so fixated on the few true Darwin award winners instead of the $10hr?

Why are you so focused on the pay scale for a entry level position?

Even at 30 dollars an hour these idiots would still be dead as a door nail. Especially when we all know an extra 20 dollars wont bring back the dead so that they can learn from their mistakes.

 

[dmcowen674]

If they can find enough people to do the job for $10, then that's what they need to pay. Duh.

Hope your job goes down to $10hr, then we'll see how your tune changes.

 

[davmat787]

Hope your job goes down to $10hr, then we'll see how your tune changes.

The fact that your fall back position is often wishing hard times on others reveals a lot about your character.

 

[jersiq]

What company and what year was that ?

The industry has changed a lot since the 90's....now it's low pay and dumb kids who aren't trained properly.

As soon as last year (2011) when I left. Not going to name the company to avoid burning bridges, some people who work there know I post here. Would it be sufficient enough to say it's one of the "Big Two?"

 

[Craig234]

The fact that your fall back position is often wishing hard times on others reveals a lot about your character.

That's not a fair description of what he said. He's telling someone who IS pushing for bad things on others that maybe if he got a taste of his own medicince, it'd help.

 

[xj0hnx]

That's not a fair description of what he said. He's telling someone who IS pushing for bad things on others that maybe if he got a taste of his own medicince, it'd help.

Do you ever stop, and just read the crap you write? The pure, unfettered bullshit that comes out of your fingers is amazing sometimes. Pokerguy in no way was "pushing for bad things on others". He's simply saying that if there's enough people that will do the job for a particular amount, than that is the amount that will be paid.

Dave is full of shit anyway, so is this one sided biased, bullshit clip. $10 was the entry level pay for one company, one company that let it's employees bullshit around, and one wound up dead because of it. I highly, highly doubt Mr. Third Generation Tower Climber was making $10 and hour when he fell (and lived thanks to his safety gear, lesson to be learned), or that many others do either.

MAYBE it's unfair that in someone's area that's the only work (highly unlikely), and they have no choice but to take the job, yea right, but just for arguments sake, but it is their own decision to not wear their safety gear. Want to be treated like a man? Then act like one, and don't wait around for a foreman to tell you "Now listen up little Johnny, you need to wear your safety harness".

 

[BUTCH1]

BS, they don't hold a gun to your head. These contractors were the greedy one taking on more contracts than they could safely handle.

And the case in the video wasn't about "had to work fast" the guy was hot dogging according to witnesses, while being cheered on by his crew, and then toxicology showed he had smoked marijuana.

Playing around + smoking weed doesn't sound like someone who is under pressure to get the job done, it sounds like an idiot.

Agree the one person in the OP's video was completely unsafe but in general it takes a LOT longer to do it the safe way, what the video brings to light is that workers will get the equipment but have little or no training in safety procedures and if your workers "freeclimb" and get the install done in half the time you will get the next contract from the "turfers", a sad but true bit of free economy dynamics..