NATE Debuts #ClimberConnection Video on Industry Step-Bolt Testing Results
For Immediate Release:
April 17, 2019
NATE Debuts #ClimberConnection Video on Industry Step-Bolt Testing Results
Video Highlights Key Findings on Step-Bolts Designed to Enhance the Safety of Tower Technicians Working at Heights
(Scottsdale, Arizona) – NATE today released a video that was produced as a result of several prominent industry step-bolt testing events that were conducted at the University of Dayton Resarch Institute (UDRI) in Dayton, Ohio. The #ClimberConnection video, entitled “To Tie-Off or Not to Tie-Off”, contains important safety information that the industry’s tower technician workforce needs to know before working on tower structures installed with step-bolts. The informative video was unveiled at the 2019 Wireless West Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The video shows jaw-dropping footage of the static and dynamic drop tests that were performed at the UDRI facility in order to test the strength of step-bolts. The video reinforces the key findings of the testing that 5/8” step bolts, while suitable for climbing, DO NOT have the capacity to be used as an anchorage for any type of personal fall arrest systems.
“The information contained in this video should be utilized by every company and worker in the industry as a training tool as it contains important step-bolt related information derived from our testing,” said NATE Board of Directors member John Paul Jones, who helped spearhead the testing activities. “I would like to thank all of the manufacturers, tower owner/vertical realtor firms, contractor companies and technicians who collaborated together on these testing initiatives. The results obtained from the testing will ultimately help create a safer environment for the men and women working at elevation on monopole towers,” Jones added.
Click HERE to watch the Step-Bolt Testing video. NATE encourages tower technicians and industry stakeholders to actively participate in this campaign by posting the video on their respective social networking platforms using the hashtag #ClimberConnection. NATE also encourages industry workers to share their comments on the video through social interaction on the Association’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
The Climber Connection Volume 4 campaign was developed by the NATE Member Services Committee in conjunction with the NATE Safety & Education Committee and is designed to provide specific resources and communicate the Association’s message directly to the industry’s workforce.
Visit HERE to watch the Tower Family Foundation and NATE UNITE 2019 Recap videos that were previously released as part of the Volume 4 edition of the Climber Connection video series.
For more information on NATE, visit www.natehome.com today.
Inspection Notice IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
3M™ DBI-SALA® ExoFit NEX™ Harnesses
3M Fall Protection has learned of the possibility of a manufacturing defect in a dorsal d-ring utilized in ExoFit NEX™ harnesses manufactured between January 2016 and December 2018. Although there have been no reported incidents involving this condition, a dorsal d-ring with this defect will not support the load in a fall arrest event which could result in serious injury or death. Harnesses manufactured only within this date range require immediate inspection for lot number 09P1 stamped into a dorsal d-ring. We believe that only one harness was manufactured with a defective D-ring, but we urge inspection of all potentially affected harnesses out of an abundance of caution in the interests of worker safety.
End Users: Upon receipt of this Notice, immediately inspect your harness following the steps HERE.
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About NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association in the wireless infrastructure industry providing a unified voice for tower erection, service and maintenance companies. Today the Association boasts over 880 member companies located throughout the United States, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, China, Guam, Israel, Jamaica, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Trinidad and the United Kingdom. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.
