The Public Broadcasting Service and ProPublica will premier a documentary today that focuses on the increasing number of deaths among cell tower workers.
Per a “Frontline” press release:
Frontline correspondent Martin Smith finds that over the last decade, the tower climbers who are building and servicing America’s cellular infrastructure are about 10 times more likely than an average construction worker to die on the job.
High death rates among climbers are caused in part by demanding project deadlines, which lead some climbers to cut corners on safety equipment or to “free climb,” a dangerous practice in which the climber is not attached to the tower. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations prohibit free climbing, yet it was involved in about half of the fatalities Frontline and ProPublica examined.
It is unclear if San Francisco is part of this trend, as the city has proven to be a difficult place for cellphone companies to install new antennas.
