NATE Unveils New Climber/Rescuer Training Standard
NATE Unveils New Climber/Rescuer Training Standard
Online Version of NATE Signature Resource Available for Free to NATE Members; Digital Download Available for Purchase for Non-Members
(Watertown, SD) – NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today announced that a new Climber/Rescuer Training Standard (CRTS) is available to members and industry stakeholders. The NATE CRTS replaces the current 4th Edition of the NATE Climber Training Standard (CTS) resource and is available in electronic format for free to NATE member companies and for purchase for stakeholders representing non-members.
The NATE CRTS is intended to assist in standardizing fall protection and rescue training for climbers in the tower and communications infrastructure construction, service, and maintenance industries. The new, streamlined CRTS document presents a series of training topics, establishing a minimum baseline of knowledge and skill that a climber should possess.
The NATE CRTS training topics include an evaluation, which is intended to assist an employer in designating personnel initially as authorized climbers/rescuers, and for personnel with sufficient knowledge, skills, and experience, as competent climbers/rescuers. The CRTS also offers guidelines to support an employer’s development and maintenance of its fall protection program to comply with the ANSI/ASSP A10.48 Standard and regulations where work is conducted.
“NATE is thrilled to offer this new CRTS resource to better facilitate and standardize climber and rescue training and ultimately improve safety in the industry,” said Director of Safety, Health & Compliance Kathy Stieler. “This new CRTS document instantly becomes the Association’s signature safety resource and provides an invaluable tool in the toolbox to ensure that climbing and rescue training is consistent regardless of who is conducting the training.”
“The development of the NATE CRTS is a by-product of hundreds of hours of sweat equity from some of the industry’s most prominent subject matter experts,” said Board of Directors member John Paul Jones, who presided over the Ad-Hoc Committee that produced the new resource. “I would encourage all NATE member companies and industry stakeholders to obtain a copy of the CRTS today and incorporate the climbing and rescue requirements into their respective training programs,” added Jones.
In order to begin the education process, the Association plans to host a NATE CRTS Update Educational Session at the NATE UNITE 2022 Conference in Las Vegas Nevada. This informative session will take on Tuesday, February 22 from 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM PST in Room 206 at the conference venue Caesars Forum.
The Association would like to thank the following subject matter experts for their contributions in helping develop the new CRTS:
John Paul Jones (Tower & Turbine Technologies LLC)
Justin Miller (EasTex Tower, LLC)
Brian Bicknese (ENERTECH)
Tom Wood (SPRAT)
Jeremy Darby (Deep South Safety Co)
Josh Case (Crown Castle)
William “Troll” McCook (SPRAT)
Charley Rankin (SPRAT)
NATE encourages members and non-members to obtain the new CRTS. This edition is available online as a free resource for member companies in the member login section of the NATE website. The CRTS is also available for purchase as a digital download for non-members. To purchase a download of the NATE CRTS, visit https://natehome.com/safety-education/safety-resources/ today.
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About NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to providing a unified voice for companies in the diverse tower and communications infrastructure construction, service and maintenance industries. Today the Association boasts over 1,045 member companies located throughout the United States, Bahamas, Canada, China, Israel, Jamaica, Lithuania, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and the United Kingdom. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.
Contact: Todd Schlekeway
(605) 882-5865
