How Often Are Cell Tower Workers Injured?

The number of workers who climb cell phone towers in the U.S. is fairly small, with about 10,000 workers, yet it has been called the most dangerous job in the nation. After a spate of serious or fatal worker accidents starting in 2013, news organizations reported this week that the government is changing how it investigates accidents involving tower climbers.

An article written by the nonprofit journalism group ProPublica and published on philly.com found that there were 19 deaths to climbers due to falls or other accidents involving communications towers since January 2013. Others have been seriously injured, including a 24-year-old man who fell 50 feet from a cell site in Pennsylvania last year. His wife said he was in a coma for months.

In part, the increase in accidents happened as the need for upgraded and expanded cellular networks increased. News organizations previously reported that tower owners and cell carriers had delegated the work to layers of subcontractors, which protected them from liability for worker injuries.

An Increase in Fatal Accidents for Cellphone Tower Workers

As cellphone carriers rush to upgrade their networks to provide consumers with faster wireless speeds on their phones, they are be putting certain workers at risk for being injured or killed on-the-job. The cellphone tower industry has seen an increase in fatal accidents in the United States, alarming the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

In 2013, 13 fatalities occurred in the tower industry in the U.S, according to OSHA. Fatalities in the tower industry last year were higher than the last two years put together. The increase in fatalities in the tower industry highlights the serious risks workers face.

Tower workers are most likely to be seriously injured or killed from falls. Falls from heights can be very dangerous and result in fatal injuries. In addition to the risk of falling, workers can also be killed by falling objects, equipment failures and structural collapses.

In response to the increase in fatalities and serious risks tower workers face, OSHA sent a letter to cellphone tower contractors and the companies that use them about the importance of complying with safety standards and regulations. OSHA warned the companies that they could be held liable or face penalties if they don’t try to prevent falls and fatal accidents in the tower industry.

It is not surprising that the tower industry has a high risk of falls due to the heights at which workers perform their tasks. However, it is important for contractors and companies that use tower workers to be aware of these risks and that they take steps to reduce accidents and injuries in the future. Hopefully the OSHA letter will serve as a warning to these companies to take swift action to prevent accidents in the future.

Source: NASDAQ, “OSHA Warns Companies After Rise in Cellphone Tower Deaths,” Ryan Knutson and Melanie Trottman,

Workers’ Compensation for Injured Cell Tower Workers

Workers who are injured on the job are generally eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) may also investigate the accident to determine whether employers violated safety rules. OSHA is now changing how it deals with investigations of injuries to tower climbers.

The agency recently announced it will track which companies subcontractors were working for when cell tower accidents happen and obtaining documents that explains the company relationships. Last fall, OSHA instructed its employees to inspect any tower worksites they see.

The goal is to boost worker safety and increase worker safety. OSHA director David Michaels says that carriers and owners of towers share responsibility for safety.

Source: philly.com, “Feds to probe the ‘Most Dangerous Job in America’” Liz Day, ProPublica, April 1, 2014