New Safety Standards Loom for Cell, Broadcast Tower Workers

Companies that construct, maintain, and demolish broadcast, mobile phone, and other communications towers will have the option to follow a new industry standard for worker safety starting Jan. 1.

The voluntary “consensus,” approved by the American Society of Safety Professionals (A10.48-2023) in October, updates 2016 guidance to include stricter language. One major change, for example, declares that the standard’s directions “shall” be followed instead of “should” be followed, said Gordon Lyman, chair of the ASSP subcommittee that oversaw the revisions.

This switch helps address US Occupational Safety and Health Administration concerns that the 2016 version allowed companies to ...