Tower climber fatalities, lack of standards, LTE technology and need for formalized apprenticeships are driving material changes in tower climber training and certification programs
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Tower climber training programs were the focus of this week’s episode of “Inside Telecom Careers”. JP Jones, Vice President of Safety LMS took a break from an 11-day, Warriors 4 Wireless training program to join Jeff Mucci, CEO and Editorial Director of RCR Wireless News, to discuss the following:
- Industry Trends
- Current tower climber training classes
- Current tower climber training schools and programs
- TIRAP versus NWSA
- How tower climber training is evolving to keep up with technology
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Key industry trends include:
- Technology trends, specifically 5G and HetNet (DAS, Wi-Fi, and small cell networks, are requiring new and existing tower climbers community to receive new training on LTE technology, bucket truck installation, and fiber splicing.
- Tower fatalities are driving improved industry tower training standards and certifications
- Network deployment cycles create uneven demand for qualified tower climbers. This trend; which has been occurring for decades, requires hiring and training new tower climbers during each upturn in the cycle. For example, for the past three years, macro LTE deployments created an industry shortage of qualified tower climbers. Over the past several months; however, the macro network modifications and upgrades have slowed. The industry expects to see another peak in tower climbers as small cell networks are deployed followed by 5G deployments.
Examples of current tower climbing programs include:
| Competent Climber and Rescuer | OSHA 10 hour course |
| Authorized Climber and Rescuer | Lightning, Grounding and CAD-Welding |
| Competent Rigger | Introduction to Wireless Technology |
| Capstan Hoist Operations | Introduction to LTE |
| Fundamentals of RF/EME Radiation | Base Mounted Drum Hoist Operation |
| Gin Pole Theory & Application | Fall Protection Program (person, administrator, trainer) |
| Crane Signal Person and Spotter | Weather proofing and connectors |
| Aerial Lift | On-site hazard awareness |
According to JP Jones, tower climber training programs are offered by three types of organizations:
- Third party training companies
- Service companies who have been trained to offer tower climber training programs
- Technical schools like Aiken Technical School, which recently received a $2.4 million grant to launch a tower climber training program.
Below is a list of companies and organizations offering tower training programs:
| Safety LMS | MasTec |
| Gravitec | Bluestream |
| Comtrain | MUTI – Sabre Communications |
| Capital Safety, a 3M company | SBA Communications |
| TIRAP.Org (PCIA and Dept of Labor) | Akin Technical College (Rec’d $2.45 million tower training grant) |
| National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) NATE – Safety Resources and STAR Initiative | Warriors 4 Wireless |
“TIRAP and NWSA are both credential base tower training programs” said JP Jones. “Both are working to create parallel tower climbing training programs that result in industry standard Tower Climber I, II, and III certification levels”