OSHA, Federal Communications Commission, Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association renew partnership to protect communications tower erection workers
For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2023
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration renewed a national strategic partnership with the Federal Communications Commission and NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association to eliminate fatalities and reduce injuries and illnesses among workers in the communications tower erection industry.
The five-year renewal includes carriers, general contractors and engineering firms in the communications tower erection industry. The partnership will address hazards, such as falls from height, high energy electrical contact, falling objects, tower collapses and inclement weather that are frequently encountered during telecommunications, tower erection and maintenance operations.
The partners intend to develop best practices to address the root causes of injuries and fatalities during maintenance, repair and construction of wireless communication and broadcast systems under normal and emergency situations. The partners will also establish job-specific safety and health training for supervisors and foreperson, telecommunications tower technicians, project managers and project supervisors.
“We recognize the hazards that tower employees face especially as the increasing demand for wireless communication technology intensifies the need to repair and construct telecommunication towers,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick. “Our renewed partnership confirms our continued commitment to shifting practices and ensuring that controls are in place so that workers finish their shift safely throughout this industry.”
“The timing of this renewal agreement is critical as the association’s member companies and their technician workforce will be on the front lines enabling connectivity as part of the generational investment of the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program funding that will be flowing to the states in 2024 and beyond,” said NATE Chairman Victor Drouin. “The NATE-OSHA-FCC national strategic partnership agreement will play a vital role ensuring that this next-generation deployment cycle will be performed in a safe and quality manner by the industry’s most precious resource, our workers.”
Since 2020, the partnership has created icons representing hazards that can fatally injure workers and has seen an increase in partner company participants from 94 in 2022 to 157 in 2023.
NATE is a non-profit trade association dedicated to providing a unified voice for companies in the tower and communications infrastructure construction, service and maintenance industries. The Federal Communications Commission regulates America’s interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.
Learn more about OSHA, its Strategic Partnership Program and communications towers.
(Above) L to R: James Frederick (OSHA, Deputy Assistant Secretary), Jessica Rosenworcel (FCC, Chairwoman), and Victor Drouin (NATE Chairman) pose for a photo moments before officially signing the NATE-OSHA-FCC National Strategic Partnership Agreement on Thursday, December 7 at the U.S. Department of Labor Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
(Above) Leadership representing the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, and NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association celebrate the signing of a 5-year extension of the NATE-OSHA-FCC National Strategic Partnership on Thursday, December 7 at the U.S. Department of Labor Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
L to R (Back Row): Sherman Williamson (OSHA), John Paul Jones (NATE OSHA Relations Committee),Doug Kalinowski (OSHA), Jessica Cobb (NATE Board of Directors), Kevin Dougherty (NATE Board of Directors), Brendan Carr (FCC Commissioner), Jimmy Miller (NATE Board of Directors), Todd Schlekeway (NATE President & CEO) and Duane MacEntee (NWSA); L to R (Front Row): James Frederick (OSHA, Deputy Assistant Secretary), Jessica Rosenworcel (FCC, Chairwoman), and Victor Drouin (NATE Chairman).
