The cell tower climbing industry has a history marred by overlooked safety, where the push for progress often came at the expense of worker protection. This issue culminated in 2013 when 13 climbers died on the job — with six of those deaths occurring across just 12 weeks.
This was a turning point when the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) took a lead role in an industry attempt to address the issue.
Known more formally as the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, NATE is a non-profit trade association formed in 1995 representing companies involved in tower building, maintenance and infrastructure services. Since 2013, NATE has increasingly focused on safety, training and education for the tower technician workforce.
“There was a theme here,” said NATE President and CEO Todd Schlekeway in an interview with Broadband Nation regarding the alarming on-the-job deaths at the time.
“We really had to get people together,” he said. “We had some discussions around: hey, something's got to change. There's got to be greater collaboration.”
An industry layered by subcontracting with no official credentialing body for tower techs, NATE spearheaded efforts to bring stakeholders together for regular discussions on the clear issue of safety and training within the industry.
A timeline for improved tower standards
Over the last 12 years, the industry made several efforts to develop more training and safety standards for climbers — many of which NATE was a key advocate and leader in advancing.
In response to the disturbing fatalities of 2013, NATE helped gather industry stakeholders and launch The Wireless Industry Safety Task Force the same year.
The group met in person every quarter for a few years, Schlekeway explained, which began to make increasingly evident the lack of standardized credentialing within the industry. This ultimately led to the establishment of the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) organization in 2015.
These NWSA developed assessments for tower technicians now required by many industry companies and contractors (though not all). There are over 15,000 industry workers certified through the NWSA as of 2024.
In 2014, the industry also gained the Tower Family Foundation and the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP).
The Tower Family Foundation provided financial support to families impacted by workplace accidents. It offers a kind of financial “bridge between the time workers comp kicks in, if it's an accident, or, God forbid, if it's a fatality, before life insurance kicks in,” described Schlekeway.
While on-the-job fatalities have steeply declined since 2013, serious injuries and fatal falls still happen, and immediate financial aid can be an essential relief for families going through such trying and devastating experiences. As of last year, the nonprofit has provided $1.7 million to 186 industry workers and families in direct financial assistance and scholarships.
TIRAP, the apprenticeship program, is a partnership between industry stakeholders like NATE and the U.S. Department of Labor. Around 120 companies are currently participating, according to Schlekeway. The program offers various opportunities for several roles within the tower climbing sector.
Industry efforts also made considerable progress when the ANSI/ASSP A10.48 Communication Tower Standard was introduced in 2016 — establishing safety requirements and best practices for climbing crews.
The standard was updated in 2023, which NATE’s Director of Safety and Education Brian Bicknese told us looked to change “should” to “shall” language.
“We've revised a lot of things and really made it into a true industry standard with minimum criteria for safety practices,” he said. “It’s really [about] engaging everybody and coming together to develop these standards, to develop all of these best practices.”
Both Schlekeway and Bicknese described the standard as a "bible" or "playbook" for “all things communication tower deployment.”
In 2020, NATE also spearheaded a strategic partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen collaboration between government and the industry.
The partnership focuses on sharing safety data and developing resources to address ongoing challenges, ensuring safety remains a top priority. Initially set for three years, the agreement was extended in 2023 for another five years.
NATE’s Workforce Development Committee took another step forward in 2022 with the creation of the Tower Technician (TTT-1) Curriculum Program. Designed to expand training opportunities through community colleges and technical schools, the program is available in various colleges and schools across the country. NATE plans to grow its network of educational partners in the years ahead.
While the tower industry hasn’t reached the same heights as time-tested trades like ironworking when it comes to training standardization, it has climbed far. From efforts towards nation-wide apprenticeships to small resources for climbers like spotting fraudulent certifications and unethical training, NATE will remain a significant industry organization addressing the industry’s safety and training challenges.
Interested in learning more about a career as a tower technician? Check out Broadband Nation's Jobs board, training portal and Learning Center.