OSHA (the workplace safety agency) has specific rules to keep telecommunications workers safe when climbing poles and towers:
- Training is required before any worker can climb. Companies must teach workers all safety procedures and make sure they understand them before allowing them to work on poles or towers.
- Fall protection is a must. Any time you're working more than 4 feet off the ground on poles or towers, you need to use safety equipment that prevents falls. This equipment must be checked every day before use.
- Climbing spikes (called "gaffs") need to be the right size - at least 1¼ inches long underneath. When not being used, they need safety caps. Someone qualified needs to check them for cracks, dullness, or broken parts.
- Testing poles before climbing is required. Before climbing, workers need to check if a pole is safe, especially poles that lean, are at corners, or don't have many wires attached. One way to test is tapping the pole with a hammer from ground level up to about 6 feet high.
- Never climb unsafe poles. If a pole seems unsafe after testing, workers cannot climb it until it's made secure with guy wires or braces. Unsafe poles must have warning tags to alert everyone.
- Safety gear is non-negotiable. Workers need proper equipment including full-body harnesses, helmets, safety glasses, gloves, and proper boots.
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