[Towertalk] falling from my tower

[Joe Clement]

Well Al, you were lucky!
As a professional tower person and who was trained to climb by the =
utility company. You made several mistakes.
    1. your ladder is supposed to be secured to whatever you are =
climbing by         lashing.
    2. you always climb with what call 3 point climbing, only one limb =
free at a time. Some companies teach 2 point, but not as safe.
    3.Never climb with hands on the steps, you always climb with hands =
on side rails. Steps can break, get loose or get slippery (i.e.. dog =
shit and other things on the grass) from your feet!
    4. A person on a tower several years ago fell, I don't remember what =
happened to him. A friend drove up and honked he turned to see who was =
there. While holding on to a cross brace, it broke.
    5. I know what it is like. I fell once carrying a person who was =
injured. NOT MUCH FUN

        good luck
Joe Clement W6MR
J & J ANTENNA SERVICE
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Al Williams" <alwilliams@olywa.net>
To: <Towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 7:49 PM
Subject: [Towertalk] falling from my tower


> Yesterday I fell from my tower!  Well, not really--I fell from my 6'
> stepladder
> that was leaning against the tilt fixture.  I had finished looping the =
tilt
> winch cable through the pulleys and was descending at the 2nd or 3rd =
step
> from the ground.  All of sudden I was falling backwards and hit the
> ground, first with my feet, then my tailbone, then my back, and then
> my head (which bounced back up a bit).
>=20
> I don't climb towers so am not at all an authority so why am I posting =
this
> to all tower talkians including many experienced and professional =
tower
> climbers?  Read on.
>=20
> First, I do not have a macho personality and I always have been very
> cautious and careful whether hiking, using ladders, and tools, etc.
> The stepladder was firmly planted and it or I did not slip.  =
Furthermore,
> I had made it a practice to have both hands holding the cross braces
> of the tilt fixture before moving my feet up or down.
>=20
> But an unexpected event occurred.  My right boot caught on the
> ladder rung.  At the same time I must have had one or both hands
> off the cross braces (I wasn't carrying anything--maybe one hand
> was free and the other hand got pulled off, I don't know).
>=20
> Here is why I am posting this accident.  I was finished with the
> off-ground part of the task and what could happen so close to
> the ground?  I must have deviated from my safety carefulness
> long enough for the unexpected event to occur.
>=20
> Fortunately, my sore tailbone and lower back has almost
> completely recovered.
>=20
> Forever stay cautious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Thanks
> k7puc
>=20
>=20
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>=20


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