Cell Tower News: Squan tower acquisition; new OSHA rule

Squan acquires Strong Tower Communications assets

Squan, a New Jersey-based telecom infrastructure company, this week acquired the cell tower assets of Strong Tower Communications.
“Squan has had a long-standing relationship with Strong,” said Squan CEO Leighton Carroll. “We respect both their leadership and their team’s ability to cover the Southeast and deliver with quality. This acquisition allows us to strengthen our capabilities, building upon our recent acquisition of Osmose Communications Services.”
The transition is expected to take place over the next few months, but Strong, based out of Acworth, Georgia, plans to remain in their current office, as well as retain their leader Josh Ward, who will report to Squan SVP Keith Pennachio.
“Josh brings a wealth of delivery leadership and we are excited to have him and his entire team join Squan,” Pennachio said.

OSHA rule requires electronic data submission

In an effort to drag accident reporting into the electronic age, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a final rule establishing new report requirements for employers. The rule divides business, referred to as “establishments” in the rule, into three different categories:

1. 250 or more employees at any time during the previous calendar year.
2. 20 or more employees, but fewer than 250 employees at any time during the previous calendar year, but only in certain designated industries.
3. Those establishments that are not required to submit electronically under either of the first two categories.

If you fall into the first category and were already required to report to OSHA, you will now be required to electronically report at least a portion of your information from forms 300, 300A and 301. Additionally, the new rule strengthens an employee’s right and ability to report injury and illness without fear of retaliation. Employers are required to have a reasonable procedure for reporting injuries and illnesses, and prohibits against discrimination against any employee that reports these to their employer. The new rule is effective August 10.
To read in full, go here. To get the Department of Labor’s perspective on why this new rule is so vital, check out the DoL’s blog post on the matter.

Tower news briefs

• Two tower technicians are killed in two separate incidents
• Grammy-nominated crop dusting pilot killed in crash against cell tower wire
• A look at America’s least convincing cell phone tower trees
• Women protest against cell tower, climb it

Regional/local tower news

• Voting rules delay zoning hearing on Verizon Wireless cell tower in Wilson, North Carolina.
• Hanford, California, council nixes cell tower.
• Vandenberg Village, California, cell tower project draws concern.
• Athens, Georgia, council to consider new cell tower at sewer plant.
• Columbia County, Georgia, residents are upset with a new cell tower being built in their neighborhood.
• West Hill, Ohio, cell tower gets reluctant approval.
• Neighbors fight plan to build cell tower in Auburn, New York.
• New cell tower pops up just in time for tourism season in Clear Lake, Iowa.
• Neighbors voice concerns over cell tower placed in residential area of Lubbock, Texas.