Tower Safety – Recommendations

LIVE BY THE THREE NON-NEGOTIABLE PRINCIPLES

1. Climb a safe tower – always

   No tower should be climbed if it is not up to permanent/long-term construction standards. A tower with visible structural issues – rust, metal fatigue, unknown repairs, under-guying, weak or failing anchors or foundations – are all signs of weakness that indicate no climb.

   Climbing a safe tower applies as much during construction and removal of a tower as it does during maintenance operations, particularly in the case of guyed towers. Temporary steel guys terminated in properly designed and installed anchors are not optional during tower installation and removal. Rope guys are not acceptable. To handle the extra stresses of construction, vertical spacing of guys should be more conservative than normal guy separation distances. To ensure that anchors are satisfactory and to place minimum tipping stresses on the base, guys should be tightened to spec as if for permanent installation.

2. 100% Attach – no exceptions. The climber must always remain attached with a fall prevention device, and properly anchored to the tower. Positioning belts and lanyards are not acceptable for fall protection, nor is using a singular attachment for fall arresting devices that must be removed from the tower as the climber positions. Lanyards must be kept free of harness and bodily obstructions, including being above the arms, and free from entanglement in bags. A dual-legged fall arrest lanyard should be used and be properly connected to the dorsal D ring on on rear of the climber’s full body harness. One leg of the lanyard remains connected to a suitable anchor on the tower as far above the work position as possible at all times. There are no exceptions to full and complete attachment, and it is critical that the anchor points securing the fall arrest lanyards be capable of taking large, sudden loads.

3. Work smart and conservative. Always divide projects into reasonable sized tasks. Never perform a maneuver that you are no fully capable of carrying out safely, or one that you do not have the correct tools to perform. Complete tasks so that the tower is always safe and permanent, nothing should be “temporary”, use ground crew and mechanical reduction devices to ease physical load on the climber and reduce the chance of overexertion-related injury. Dress in appropriate clothing to both protect the climber from the tower and presented hazards, while remaining aware of outside weather and conditions.

WE MUST DEVELOP A SAFETY CULTURE AT ALL LEVELS OF THE AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNITY.

1. Personal – Every tower owner, climber and helper must make a personal commitment to safety.

   No tower should be climbed if it is not up to permanent/long-term construction standards. A tower with visible structural issues – rust, metal fatigue, unknown repairs, under-guying, weak or failing anchors or foundations – are all signs of weakness that indicate NO CLIMB.

   Climbing a safe tower applies as much during construction and removal of a tower as it does during maintenance operations, particularly in the case of guyed towers. Temporary steel guys terminated in properly designed and installed anchors are not optional during tower installation and removal. Rope guys are not acceptable. To handle the extra stresses of construction, vertical spacing of guys should be more conservative than normal guy separation distances. To ensure that anchors are satisfactory and to place minimum tipping stresses on the base, guys should be tightened to spec as if for permanent installation.

2. Local Clubs –

3. National Organizations