Insane. Great, but insane.
They say they skip safety lines because its easier and faster. Wonder how often someone falls off while doing his work though.
They say they skip safety lines because its easier and faster. Wonder how often someone falls off while doing his work though.
Interestingly this seems to vary greatly. In 2008 there were 7 tower deaths in 5 weeks: http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/7-Tower-Deaths-In-5-Weeks...
Also, apparently the job in the US is significantly more dangerous than elsewhere. While between 2003-2008 there were 70 US tower climber deaths vs only 10 international deaths in that same period: http://www.wirelessestimator.com/t_content.cfm?pagename=Inte...
Oh, and here's how much it pays: http://work.chron.com/transmission-tower-climber-paid-5300.h...
"Data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011 show that radio, cellular and tower equipment installers and repairs made a mean annual wage of $44,250. This group includes transmission tower climbers. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $26,200 per year and $12.60 per hour, while the highest-paid 10 percent earned $67,660 or more per year and $32.53 or more per hour. The national average was $21.27 per hour."
Some interesting recent (2012) writeups:
Daily Kos: The Killing Towers of the US Telecom Industry http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/04/1097174/-The-Killin...
ProPublica: In Race For Better Cell Service, Men Who Climb Towers Pay With Their Lives http://www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-fatalities