Cell Tower Safety and Health

During the early part of the 21^st Century, safety and health hazards associated with cell tower installation and repair work began to attract attention from safety and health activists and regulators. Following a large number of serious injuries and fatalities in 2005, 2006, and 2007, with assistance from CWA’s Occupational Safety and Health Department, in 2008 federal OSHA identified cell tower work as the deadliest job in the U.S. In turn, the Agency placed particular emphasis upon identifying the magnitude of the problem, met with cell tower employers, including AT&T and Verizon, and the U.S. Cell Tower Association for the purpose of correcting cell tower hazards and training affected workers in basic safety and health issues and practices.

However, as identified in a recent story co-published by Pro Publica and PBS Frontline, unfortunately CTA and individual employers have not kept their commitments to provide their workers with safe and healthful working conditions. To read the full Pro Publica report, please go to www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-fatalities.