New York

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,600 posts) Thu Jan 14, 2021, 05:28 PM Jan 2021

Tower tech is undergoing surgery after a 140-foot fall in New York

Tower tech is undergoing surgery after a 140-foot fall in New York

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator / January 13, 2021

A tower tech fell approximately 140 feet from a guyed tower in Lawrence, New York yesterday at about 11:00 a.m. while doing a T-Mobile upgrade, according to individuals knowledgeable of the accident.

St. Lawrence County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene off of Ferris Road and the technician was taken by Tri-Town Rescue to Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

The man, in his mid-twenties reportedly has a number of broken bones and a collapsed lung, and is undergoing surgery this morning, a source informed Wireless Estimator.

According to Undersheriff Sean O’Brien, the tower tech was conscious after hitting the ground. The man’s name has not been released. ... The tech reportedly came into contact with a guy wire as he fell to the ground, partially breaking his fall.

{snip}

OSHA has been contacted and is investigating the incident.

3 replies

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Tower tech is undergoing surgery after a 140-foot fall in New York (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Jan 2021 OP

I fell 15 feet 25 years ago kirkuchiyo Jan 2021 #1

Amazing that he survived. I saw a report a few years back that this was the most dangerous job. Make7 Jan 2021 #2

Safety precautions? VA_Jill Jan 2021 #3

kirkuchiyo

(402 posts)

1. I fell 15 feet 25 years ago

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Jan 14, 2021, 05:39 PM

Jan 2021

Broke my back and pelvis and turned my wrist into gravel. I'm amazed he lived cause I hit like a ton of bricks. Good luck to him.

Make7

(8,543 posts)

2. Amazing that he survived. I saw a report a few years back that this was the most dangerous job.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Jan 14, 2021, 05:50 PM

Jan 2021

(Based on the death/injury rate per worker.)

They should mandate more safety procedures to reduce the risk to these workers - what is in place now doesn't seem to be adequately protecting them.

Falling from that height, thinking you are going to die, is difficult to imagine. I hope he recovers and there is minimal lasting physical, and mental, injury.

VA_Jill

(9,995 posts)

3. Safety precautions?

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Jan 14, 2021, 06:15 PM

Jan 2021

My son-in-law is a tower tech and he is a bearcat about his and his partner's safety. I know for a fact that they triple-check each other before they go up. They've been working as a team for over 10 years and know each other really well so it's a trust thing but they still triple-check. It's a very dangerous job.

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