Ham Radio Tower Safety: Planning, Climbing and Fall Protection

A tower gives an antenna height, and height is the most valuable thing a station can have. It is also the most dangerous. Every year, people are injured or killed while installing or maintaining antennas, and professional tower crews, with training, equipment and procedures, are not immune. Amateurs usually have less experience, work at weekends and tend to improvise. This guide on ham radio tower safety will not make you a tower climber, and it is not a substitute for training and the manufacturer’s instructions. What it can do is show you the main hazards, describe the habits that keep people alive and help you decide when a job should be handed to a professional crew. Please read it as a starting point, and take proper training before you climb.

Know the Real Hazards

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration maintains a page on communication towers. It notes that employees regularly climb towers, in all kinds of weather, from 100 feet to heights of 1000 feet or more, and it lists the hazards that are most frequently encountered:

• falls from great heights
• electrical hazards
• hazards associated with hoisting personnel and equipment
• inclement weather
• falling objects
• equipment failure
• structural collapse of towers

The same page records the number of communication tower related fatalities in the industry: 13 in 2013, 12 in 2014, 3 in 2015 and 6 in 2016. These are professional workers, with employers who have safety systems, and the numbers show that the risks are real. Amateur towers are usually shorter, but a fall from 10 metres can be fatal, and the other hazards are the same. If you work at height, you are in the same category as those workers, and you should take the same precautions.

Plan the Job Before You Touch the Tower

Most accidents are the result of decisions made long before anyone leaves the ground. A good plan includes the following.

• Permissions and regulations. Check local planning rules, building codes, property covenants and any requirement for a permit or an engineered foundation. The rules may also set a maximum height or distance from boundaries.
• Engineering. A tower is a structure designed for a given loading. The manufacturer specifies how much antenna area and weight it can carry, what foundation it needs and how it must be guyed. Never add antennas or rotators beyond the rating, and follow the installation manual exactly.
• Location. Choose a site clear of overhead power lines, buried utilities and neighbours’ property. A tower that can fall in any direction should be located so that, if it did, it would not reach a power line, a road or a building.
• Weather. Do not work in strong wind, rain, snow, ice or when lightning is possible. Plan a window with a margin, because jobs always take longer than expected.
• People. Decide who will climb, who will stay on the ground and who is responsible for emergency calls. Nobody should work at height alone.
• Equipment. List every tool, rope, pulley and piece of hardware, and check that all of it is rated for the load.

If the tower is a push-up mast and not a fixed lattice structure, the same principles apply but the details differ. Our guide to push-up masts and guying explains how to set up supports and guys safely for lighter antennas.

Types of Support and Their Risks

A tower that can be lowered to the ground lets you work at head height, and that single feature removes most of the fall risk. For many amateurs it is the safest solution, even if it costs more and carries less antenna.

Fall Protection Basics

A fall arrest system has several parts that work together, and every part must be in good condition. The overview of a personal fall arrest system describes the standard components: an anchorage, a body harness and a connecting device. The following principles apply in all cases.

• Use a full body harness. A simple belt is not designed to arrest a fall. Choose a harness that fits properly and that is certified for fall arrest, with attachment points on the back and the chest as needed.
• Use a shock-absorbing lanyard or a fall arrester. A lanyard that stops a fall abruptly can cause serious injury. An energy absorber limits the force on the body.
• Tie off, always. Be attached to the structure or to a rated climbing system at all times when you are above the ground, including while changing position. Two lanyards allow you to move without being detached for even a moment.
• Anchor to something strong. The connection point must be able to take the load of a fall. Do not attach to a cable, a guy wire, an antenna, a rotator or a rung that was not designed for it.
• Check the clearance. A fall arrest system needs space below you to work. If a fall would end on the ground or on an obstacle before the system stops it, the system is not adequate.
• Use certified equipment. Look for products marked as complying with recognised standards for fall protection, such as ANSI/ASSP Z359 in the United States, or the EN standards for harnesses, energy absorbers and connectors in Europe. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and inspection schedule.
• Inspect and retire. Check harness webbing, stitching, buckles, connectors and lanyards before every use. Sunlight, chemicals and abrasion weaken them. If a harness has arrested a fall, take it out of service.

The OSHA fall protection topic page explains why falls are a leading cause of death in construction and provides further resources. Rescue is part of the plan, too. A person hanging in a harness can lose consciousness within minutes and may suffer serious harm. A rescue plan, and the equipment and training to carry it out, are not optional.

Hoisting Antennas, Rotators and Cables

Lifting equipment is where many accidents begin, because the load swings, catches on the structure and pulls the person on the ground off balance. A few rules help.

• Use a proper hoisting line and pulley. Fix the pulley to a strong, rated point, not to the antenna or to a thin rung, and use a rope that is rated for the load and in good condition.
• Keep everyone out of the drop zone. People on the ground should wear helmets, stand outside the area below the load and never walk under it.
• Tag the load. A light tag line helps control a long boom or a large rotator as it rises, so it does not swing into the tower.
• Do not climb with the load. Carrying a heavy antenna while climbing changes your balance and can overload the fall protection. Hoist it and have it received at the working position.
• Mind the rotator. A rotator and its cable are heavy and awkward. Our guide to the antenna rotator explains how to choose the right size for the antenna and the mast, and how to route the control cable so it does not snag during installation.
• Secure the cables. Coax and control cables must be fixed to the tower with suitable ties so that wind does not whip them against the structure, and so that a loose cable cannot catch a climber.
• Wear the right clothing. A helmet, gloves, sturdy boots with a stiff sole and close-fitting clothes reduce the risk of cuts, slips and snagging. Avoid loose items that can fall.

Time is also a hazard. Fatigue, heat, cold and hunger reduce judgement, and the end of a long day is when mistakes happen. Plan the work in stages with breaks, and stop when conditions or your condition change. A task that is not finished by dark can wait until tomorrow.

Electrical and RF Hazards

• Overhead power lines. The most common cause of electrocution when raising masts is contact with an overhead line. Keep the structure, the antenna and any tools or ropes well clear of lines, and consider the whole area in which an element could fall or swing. If in doubt, contact the utility company.
• Transmitters. Turn off and disconnect all transmitters before anyone climbs. A close approach to an energised antenna can expose a person to RF levels above the recommended limits, and burns are possible. Make sure nobody can switch on the equipment. Our article on RF exposure safety explains how to evaluate the exposure of a station.
• Lightning and static. Never work on or near a tower when a storm is anywhere close. Grounding and bonding protect the station when it is not in use, as described in our guide to grounding and lightning protection, but they offer no protection to someone on the structure.
• Power tools and cords. Use ground fault protection, and keep cords away from the climber.

A Pre-Climb Checklist

1. Confirm the weather forecast and the absence of lightning and strong wind.
2. Confirm that all transmitters are off and disconnected and that no one else can switch them on.
3. Inspect the tower, the guys, the anchors and the base for damage or loosening.
4. Inspect the harness, the lanyards, the connectors, the helmet and the boots.
5. Check that a second person is on the ground, with a phone and a rescue plan.
6. Secure all tools with lanyards and keep the area below the tower clear of people.
7. Agree signals or radio communications between the climber and the ground crew.
8. Climb with three points of contact, stay tied off and stop at the first sign of fatigue or discomfort.
9. Lower tools and parts by rope, not by dropping them.
10. When the job is finished, check that nothing is left on the tower and that the rotator and cables are secure.

When to Call a Professional

There is no shame in handing a job to a professional crew, and it is sensible for many tasks. Consider a professional when the tower is tall, when you must work near power lines, when the structure is old or uncertain, when you have to lift heavy antennas or rotators, or when you lack the training and the equipment. Ask about their training, insurance and equipment, and ask for references. A good crew will also tell you if something about your plan is unsafe.

Remember that your family and your neighbours are affected by the decisions you take. A tower that falls, a tool that drops or a rescue that cannot be performed is not just your own risk.

The Bottom Line

Ham radio tower safety is mostly about habits. Know the hazards, plan the job on the ground, use equipment that is rated and inspected, tie off at all times, keep clear of power lines and switch off every transmitter. Do not climb alone, do not climb in bad weather, and do not hesitate to call a professional crew when a task is beyond your training. A tower should give you years of better signals, and every careful decision you make is a step towards getting that result without an accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to climb a ham radio tower alone?

No. You should always have a second person on the ground who can call for help and assist in a rescue. Working at height alone is one of the most dangerous practices.

What is the minimum fall protection for climbing a tower?

A full body harness, a shock-absorbing lanyard or a fall arrester, a strong anchorage and a method of staying attached at all times. Use equipment certified to recognised standards.

Do I need to turn off my transmitters before climbing?

Yes. Turn them off and disconnect them, and make sure nobody can switch them on. RF exposure near an energised antenna can exceed safe limits and cause burns.

How far should a tower be from power lines?

As far as possible, and certainly far enough that the tower, antennas and ropes could not touch a line if they fell or swung. Ask your utility company if in doubt.

Are crank-up towers safer than fixed towers?

They can be, because you can work at ground level when the tower is lowered. They have their own risks, such as cable failure and crushing, so maintain them and follow the instructions.

When should I hire a professional tower crew?

When the tower is tall or old, when power lines are nearby, when the antennas are heavy, or when you lack training and equipment. Choose a crew with experience, insurance and references.