[TowerTalk] Sad news N5IA SK in tower fall

[Steve Maki]

It's surprising how many commercial towers do not have safety climb 
systems. I'm talking broadcast towers, cellular towers, you name it. A 
wild guess around here is 3-5%.

The first man up double hooks and takes up a temporary 5/8" safety 
*rope*. For the rest of the job the rope is used as a normal safety 
climb, using rope sliders instead of 3/8" wire sliders.

Last man down double hooks again. We wouldn't think of turning down a 
job for the lack of a permanent safety system as long as the tower 
itself is sound.

-Steve K8LX

On 6/14/2016 3:29 PM, Ed Sawyer wrote:

> I have seen probably 50 different ham tower installations representing well
> over 100 towers and worked on probably a dozen of them (in addition to my
> own).  I have never seen a ham tower with a full length steel safety wire
> running on it.
>
> I am not saying it's bad - its better - no argument.  But if someone is "not
> working" on ham towers without it, then they are not working on ham towers,
> end of story.
>
> In any case, I am fully respectful of the choices made by N5IA.  Clearly,
> they were processed decisions.
>
> We can all learn from tragedies.  But jumping from free climbing at any
> height and age danger to "won't climb without a full length running safety
> cable" serves no practical purpose in the ham community.
>
> Ed  N1UR