These incidents are vivid illustrations of why falls are the top cause of fatalities in the communication tower industry, which has grown dramatically over the past 30 years.
In order to erect or maintain communication towers, employees regularly climb towers, using fixed ladders, support structures or step bolts, from 100 feet to heights in excess of 1000 or 2000 feet. There’s no time off for inclement weather, either; workers climb towers throughout the year, sometimes in high winds and ice storms.