[TowerTalk] Full body harness - Law Suits??

[Bill Winkis]

This brings up an interesting subject 

. Tower Climbers & Law Suits 
.
I had occasion last week to go up one of my 
towers to the 100 foot level to re-string a wire 
pull rope
as I was beginning to go up, this 
gentleman in his early-mid forties stopped on the 
road, came over to the tower, 200 feet inland, 
and said I didn’t need to climb the tower he 
would
.I didn’t know this guy from “Adam’s Ant”. 
I politely told him no etc, and he felt hurt and 
I upset that I would not let him go up
.
All I could see is him falling and his wife becoming rich women.
Every time a member of the local club has a 
antenna project, 20 guys show up...and 3-4-5 end 
up climbing and again I know an injured wife 
would not hesitate in suiting another member of the club, for all he’s worth
.
Now this is something we all have faced at one 
time or another: but has someone some where 
written up a semi or full clad wavier etc to 
protect the home owner ham and something that 
would hold up in case of a law suit
..
Or do we all go out and buy an Insurance 
Liability Umbrella Policy to protect us... (If 
indeed there is such as thing
!!)
Or does the ARRL offer such an item
??

-Bill

At 12:55 PM 4/3/2008, Paul Christensen wrote:

> >  The conversation  on this reflector has pointed me in the proper safe
> > direction and now I am  looking for personal experiences with the full
> > body
> > harness and fall  arrest.
>
>Probably the most important item at the time of order is an intangible that
>cannot be purchased on-line: Proper training and use of the harness.  I am
>amazed at the number of folks who will purchase a full-body harness, not
>knowing the first safety-related issue before they ascend a tower.
>
>I routinely draft contracts on behalf of my commercial clients with the
>stipulation that unless a contracted worker has been put through recognized
>tower training and rescue course (e.g., Comtrain), they are unauthorized to
>touch a tower and its components.   You cannot completely buy your way into
>safety.
>
>Paul, W9AC
>
>
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