7th Death of 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com

Minnesota man dies while building ISP tower
 August 23, 2010 - A Braham, Minn. tower technician was killed Saturday when the lift truck he was on tipped over while he was installing a communications tower for an internet service provider.

The Isanti County Sheriff's Office said that Mark Robert Anderson, 40, was assisting in the erection of a tower for Genesis Wireless at 3389 Helium St. NW in Wyanett Township when the Lull Telehandler - with the boom fully extended approximately 40 feet - fell over.

Anderson  was transported to Cambridge Medical Center where he was pronounced dead of injuries he received in the fall.

Jay Richard Mankie, 47, of Braham, and owner and founder of Genesis Wireless, was operating the unit and suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Founded in Braham, Minn. in 1999, Genesis says it has a network of over 40 towers to offer their high speed wireless internet in East Central Minnesota.

"The accident was work related and that is why OSHA was called," said Isanti County Chief Deputy Bill Guenther.

"They will be doing an investigation to determine what happened. I can't speculate as to why the Telehandler tipped over and I believe that OSHA will determine that when they complete their investigation."

Assisting at the scene was Dalbo Fire and Rescue, Isanti County Fire and Rescue and Allina Ambulance.

A Funeral Service for Anderson will be held on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. at Stanchfield Baptist Church. A time of visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. at the church. Arrangements are with the Rock Ingebrand Funeral Home of Braham.

5th and 6th Deaths of 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com

Two Alabama men die after guy wire is clipped
 Update: August 3, 2010 - A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in east Alabama by the family of a man who died after a radio tower collapsed. The incident happened last Thursday in Fort McClellan.
 
A truck hit the tower causing it to fall while the tower technicians were at the 40-foot level.
  
The family of Barry Sloan has filed a lawsuit against the driver of the truck and the truck’s owner, Barnhart Crane and Rigging Company Incorporated.

Barnhart has over 20 branches across the U.S. and is frequently used by the industry to install and maintain communications structures.

Attorney Chris Glover said a bucket truck was parked close to the tower’s guy wires.
“The men had finished their work and everyone was clearing out,” Glover said.

“Stephens was in the process of moving the truck. He did not manage the space around the vehicle well and became entangled in the support wire.”

According to Glover, the tower then began to fall, but Stephens probably didn’t realize it until the tower was already down.

“At the very least, they should have paid more attention to their surroundings,” he said. “At the very least you sit still until the men get down. You have to be aware of your surroundings when you’re driving any vehicle.”
Barnhart Crane and Rigging Company said in a statement, “The radio tower collapse at the Fort McClellan Industrial Park is a great tragedy. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies go out to the families involved. Barnhart is cooperating fully with all authorities in investigating the accident to determine the cause.”

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July 22, 2010 - Two tower technicians died after the Anniston, Alabama guyed tower they were working on Thursday was accidentally knocked down.

Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown pronounced Barry Sloan, 37, of Albertville dead at the scene at 4:16 p.m. His co-worker, Jonce Hubble, 41, of Albertville died in surgery at UAB Hospital around 9 p.m.

Both victims were employees of Anniston-based McCord Communications and were working on a tower off of Alps Drive in McClellan.

Brown said according to preliminary estimates, the two victims fell about 40 feet.

Both the police department and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.

Brown said he could not release the exact cause of the accident, but noted the incident involved a vehicle.

The two tower technicians were on the tower and there was a truck which hit a guy-wire, which caused the tower to fall, Brown said.

“There were several people around working on the scene,” Brown said. “Both men received assistance right away.”

An OSHA spokesperson said he would not identify whether the truck belonged to McCord Communications, stating that there will be no comment until the agency's final report is complete and ready to be made public.

Sloan and Hubble were the fifth and sixth tower technicians to die this year after falling from a structure. In 2009 five workers were killed.

The guyed tower, just shy of 200 feet, is not registered with the FCC. It is located about a mile east of Highway 21 in Fort McClellan on property leased to the Alabama National Guard . It is part of a system that provides communication to personnel at Pelham Range through the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

Following the U.S. Army base's closure in 1999, the property was turned over to the City of Anniston for economic redevelopment and McClellan has become home to over 900 residents and a work place for more than 3,000 employees.

Established in 1947, McCord Communications specializes in two-way, mass notification and broadband systems design and installation. Their main office is in Anniston with service centers in Gadsen  and Albertville.

4th Death of 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com

New Jersey man dies in West Philadelphia accident

June 28, 2010 - Stanley J. Zarzecki, Sr. passed away Thursday evening after falling from a rooftop in West Philadelphia.

He is survived by his wife Cara (nee Voll),  two sons Stanley J., Jr. and Zachery Xaiver; his mother Diane of Phila. and a brother Eric of Phila.
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UPDATED: July 12, 2010 - An industry manager knowledgeable of the accident, stated that the initial police report indicating that Zarzecki tripped on gravel and fell off the roof was incorrect.
He stated that Zarzecki fell off of the Sprint/Nextel equipment platform and over the side of the short parapet wall.
In addition, although construction drawings do not show a railing around the 11-foot by 22-foot platform, there was a railing around it when he fell, he said.

UPDATED June 28, 2010 - A technician working on the roof at the Walnut Park Plaza in West Philadelphia fell 120 feet to his death Thursday evening.

Philadelphia police say Champion Communications employee Stanley Zarzecki, 32, of Deptford, N.J. was working on transmission lines on the roof of a nine-story building at 6250 Walnut Street at about 9 p.m. when he reportedly slipped on the gravel roof.

Authorities say Zarzecki hit the edge of the roof and fell to his death.

He was pronounced dead at about 10:15 p.m.

Zarecki was reportedly working on a Clearwire project.

Clearwire, which is majority owned by Sprint/Nextel, oftentimes colocates their equipment on existing Sprint sites.

Sprint/Nextel has an 11-foot by 22-foot equipment platform on the Walnut Park Plaza rooftop approximately three feet from the parapet wall which is one-foot or less in height. It reportedly does not have any guardrails.

Other wireless tenants on the rooftop include AT&T and T-Mobile.

Authorities have not released where Zarzecki was working when he fell.

According to OSHA Standard 1926.501(b)(1) regarding unprotected sides and edges, "Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems."

After learning of the accident a number of companies held a conference call with their project managers to emphasize the need to be vigilant in their josbsite safety compliance.

Owned by Robert Kelhower, Champion Communications LLC is located in Westville, N.J.

3rd Death of 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com

Teen worker succumbs following fall from Arkansas self-supporting tower
 Updated: June 1, 2010 - Services have been announced for Ethan Wayne Ray Hutchinson, age 18, of Ava, Mo, who passed away Friday in Ark. after he fell from a communications tower.

"Little Britches" was born in Springfield on June 22, 1991 to Ralph Mason and Melissa Deanna (Adams) Hutchinson.

He leaves behind his parents and a brother, Nathan Everett and wife Erica (Strong); a sister Deanna Jean Porter and husband Clinton; his grandparents, Larry and Wanda Hutchinson, and Garland and Barbara Combs; a great-grandmother, Faye Maggard; nephews, aunts and uncles; cousins; and many friends.

Ethan was an active member of Eastern Gate Missionary Baptist Church. He loved life, his friends and family.  His favorite hobbies were hunting, fishing, working on automobiles and teasing others.

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May 30, 2010 - The Baxter County Sheriff's office says an 18-year-old Missouri man has died after falling from a cell phone tower he was working on in Mountain Home, Ark.

Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says his department responded to a call at 6:05 p.m. Friday of a job site-related accident at the intersection of State Highway 5 and the US 62/412 Bypass.

Ethan Wayne Hutchinson of Douglas County, Mo., was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said a six-person crew from Dallas-based TECHSICO Enterprise Solutions was finishing work on the tower when Hutchinson fell about 200 feet, dying upon impact.

The 250-foot self supporting tower was built in 2001. TECHSICO was reportedly doing an upgrade on the Brunson Lane AT&T-owned tower.

The Ava resident's body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., TECHSICO specializes in furnishing low voltage systems. Although the company's website does not identify that it provides installation, retrofitting or maintenance of communications structures, it does state that it provides staff placement services.

Wreath photo courtesy: Blake Bowers

2nd Death of 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com

Tech dies following fall from 400-foot guyed tower

UPDATE: May 7, 2010 - Services have been announced for tower technician Joseph L. White "Kojak", of Hawthorne, Fla. who passed away May 4. He was born in Gainesville.

May 4, 2010 - An Alachua County, Fla. man died this morning when he fell from a guyed tower in Dixie County.

The 36-year-old tower technician and a co-worker, employed by North Florida Tower Service out of Lake City, were about 240 feet up the 400-foot tower when the accident occurred, the Dixie County Sheriff's Office reported.

Officers have not released the man's name pending notification of his family.

The man had been with the business for about two years and had several years of experience in this line of work, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The tower, located near County Road 357N, is owned by Tri-County Electric of Madison. The accident occurred about 9 a.m.

Employees were at the tower to perform work for the Foley Timber Co. of Perry and the State of Florida Division of Forestry, the Sheriff's Office reported.

An autopsy will be performed, and an investigation into the accident was ongoing, according to deputies.

North Florida Tower Service has been in business for over 20 years and is owned by Don Suhl.

1st Death in 2010

Article courtesy of WirelessEstimator.com


Mississippi man succumbs after 100-foot fall while dismantling
 
February 3, 2010 - A veteran tower climber died today after falling 100 feet from a cell tower he was working on along Arkansas 88 in Saline County, Ark., a sheriff’s office spokesman said.

Terry Thompson, 51, of Lucedale was pronounced dead at the scene, Lt. Mike Frost, with the sheriff’s department said.

He stated that the tower was owned by American Tower Corporation.

Thompson was a sub-contractor with Dynamic Wireless of Little Rock, a company hired to remove the 250-foot self supporting tower.

Frost said the sheriff’s office is investigating the death and OSHA has been contacted.

The 10:30 a.m. accident was this year's first tower climber fatality
Authorities say Thompson had 37 years of experience working on towers.

Initial reports indicate that Thomson may have been attached with only a positioning lanyard.

Just prior to Thomson falling, the gin pole reportedly lurched about two-to-three feet.

OSHA will be looking to identify if it was the gate or other equipment that failed.

Thomson reportedly fell inside the tower and hit some bracing on his way down.

Dynamic Wireless, LLC, an affiliate of TransportWave, was founded in 2004.

The tower erection and maintenance company is managed by Todd Lewellen.

Dynamic Wireless is licensed as a general contractor in several states.