Wireless services have opened up avenues of communication and resources unlike any in history. We rely on these connections to stay in touch with friends and family members, operate businesses and communicate on a global scale. But providing these innovative services through networks of communication towers should not come at the cost of any worker’s life.
The tower industry is small, with roughly 10,000 to 20,000 workers, but it can be incredibly dangerous: In 2014 alone, 12 tower workers were killed on the job and dozens were significantly injured. One of those workers was Chad Weller, a 21-year-old communication tower technician. In March 2014, Chad prepared to climb an icy, 17-story water tower where a broken antenna required his attention. Working alone, and in hazardous conditions, Chad donned the oversized personal protective equipment that he had been given and began his climb. When he arrived at the top of the tower, Chad slipped and fell to his death 180 feet below.