Ever wonder how they get to the top of a 1700ft Broadcast Tower?
I will warn you now that this is not for the faint of heart. It made me a nervous wreck just watching it. But as a frequent airplane traveler, I always noticed the incredibly tall towers and the lights at the very top of them. I have always taken for granted that someone had to get to the top of them and perform maintenance and thought there would be a safe method for doing so. Well, as it turns out, there really isn’t. This video outlines how the workers get to the top of the highest transmission towers to perform maintenance or repairs. As I said, if you are scared of heights, this will give you nightmares for weeks, but like me, I bet you will watch it anyway.
It starts with one incredible 1600 foot elevator ride and then climbing without a safety harness for the remainder of the length to the top. The worker is also required to tow along a 30 pound bag of tools (gotta fix it with something right?) via a 30 foot rope hanging down from him. The video also indicates that this is OSHA approved! I just wonder how this job escapes OSHA’s attention when they are real serious about things like safety glasses and spilled water signs.
[via BGR]
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Fascinated with technology, saltwater aquariums and black holes. Handy with power tools or sarcasm and is an avid Clash of Clans addict.
When a man falls 1 foot, it is a tragedy. When he falls 1700 feet, it is a statistic.
looks to me like they were clipping in thier safety harness every so often, still pretty sketchy, but they certtainly dont free climb that tower, what im amazed at is how that last strectch of tower they climb on is literally hanging off one side of the tower and bolted on by only 3 bolts… those must be some strong bolts
they probably have a parachute or something on their back incase they do fall. so long as they dont hit their head on the side of the tower i think they might make it! lol
that sounds like a well paying job. my roomate just offered me 100 big ones if i climb a tower