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I have been climbing my entire life. It has defined me as a person to defy gravity on towers and rocks. Our industry means a great deal to me and I am very proud to be part of the telecommunications and broadcast industry. I could sit here all day and toss unlimited compliments about the positive things being done to keep the climbers safe. We have a very impressive number of men and women who dedicate themselves to building the best industry practices keeping the workforce that sacrifices so much for the infrastructure safe. The men and women we call tower technicians deserve a safe workplace and advocacy as they work in harsh climates, are always working under deadlines, and spend many days away from home and family.

I earned my first paycheck for climbing in 1995 and I did not receive any formal training until 2003. That's the way things were done back then. That is not how we do things today! We are afforded the luxury and opportunity to provide and receive safety training in this day and age. What we need to improve on is not found in a classroom, it is found in our mind and hearts. In 2014, Dr. David Michaels addressed the NATE UNITE audience in San Diego, California. It was a quiet audience with a powerful message; we are not doing enough to stop tower fatalities.

Since 2014 we gained momentum trying to achieve zero fatalities and seemingly lost it also. Unfortunately, we have not had great success in the years after that warning. We continue to improve training, safety, and yet our fatality numbers reflect another pattern. The simple rule to defy gravity is to stay 100% tied off to the structure at all times.

We need to improve the culture of the "tower hand." That comes from leadership, setting examples, and holding lines. All too often we see poor displays on social media of free climbing, as if it should be praised. This is not the perception we want our climbers to possess! I address my team every Monday prior to deploying them for work at heights. Each Monday I select a different topic that is relevant to our work that week. More often than not my topic is fall protection and no free climbing. I try to convey that ultimately each of us are our own safety ambassadors and personally responsible for their own and their team members safety.

To stop the fatalities, we have to include all the stakeholders in this effort, from the President, Vice President, project managers, construction managers, administration, HR, to the least senior member of the team. In essence, all of us must do our part to stop tower technicians from falling off towers.

I challenge anyone reading this to be the leader, to set the example, and to advocate for tower technicians. These men and women are so wonderfully skilled; each possess electrical, engineering, carpentry, rigging, steel erection, and plumbing attributes. These men and women are small numbered, very specialized, and always at risk! Let’s protect our assets. Hold the line on rules and remind your team members to practice good fall protection. If we want zero fatalities, we need to work together.

I am committed to 100% 24/7 tie-off.

Corie Fontenot is a member of the NATE Safety & Education Committee and is Director of EHS & Training at Blackhawk Tower Communication, Inc. of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. He can be reached at 920-723-0152 and corie@blackhawktower.com.

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There is a magical time every spring in Iowa. Usually from late April to early May. Morel mushroom hunting season is a short span of two to three weeks, beyond the dandelion flowers and crabgrass emergence. You can get good exercise and fresh air outdoors when looking for the (sometimes) elusive morels. This type of mushroom can be found anywhere from Georgia to Minnesota and all places in between. If the soil temperature and the moisture conditions are right.

This time of the year is a great opportunity to bring the entire family into the woods. You can test your luck and possibly be rewarded with a bounty of delicious mushrooms to complement a spring meal. It is customary then, to share your success with your friends and family who will be especially grateful for the gift of food.

But it’s called mushroom hunting for a reason. They can be difficult to find! Research has found that the soil temperatures must be in the mid-50s, and the best places to have success in finding these mushrooms are usually near dead or dying elm trees. There are websites and Facebook groups dedicated solely to this effort. The “experts” of these online sites will offer their opinions regarding what conditions are best for harvest. There have been years when they pop up late season, some years early depending on years when conditions are too wet, or too dry and little to none are to be found.

I have had at least a dozen times when I set out to find them, knowing that the conditions were right. But I did not find any! The morel’s tan/brown color blends well with the colors of the dead leaves on the forest floor. It can seem like searching for a needle in a haystack! Do you know what solution I came up with for that moment? I can pull up the picture of a morel on my smartphone. Just the visual prompt of what is being sought after will often manifest it right there. And once you find one or two, it is as if they are popping up right in front of you and you can find more and more. By the way, thanks to our tower technicians, we have connectivity to the internet available way out in the sticks!

I sometimes think of mushroom hunting as a metaphor for what we look for in safety audits.

If you already know what you are looking for when you set out to do an audit, then all you are looking for is verification of your premonition. You might expect to find glaring items such as a non-compliant fuel can, a damaged extension cord, a carabiner stored with rigging in the trailer, a damaged step ladder, or something else blatantly obvious.

One of the items the OSHA Relations Committee is being tasked with this year is more efficiently handling the site audit data that is coming in from STAR participants. The data should be and will be more readily available to NATE members. Hopefully in the future, you can not only see what hazards are trending in your company, but also peer companies as well. Data analytics are very powerful in every aspect of business. Understanding the trends are the key to understanding what will happen in the future.

The source of the data from the STAR program is us, the member companies performing the site audits. I would encourage all STAR participants when performing a site audit to look for more than just the easy stuff. Yes, all deficiencies related to safety are important.

But the way we grow as an industry and keep moving forward is by building on what we have been doing and finding new opportunities to learn. The technology we install on towers is constantly advancing. We must continue to advance our way of thinking regarding safety.

NATE is a great framework to share knowledge and learn from others that are performing the same type of work, whether that is cellular, microwave, small cell, DAS, tower modifications, or construction.

NATE volunteers and staff are working hard behind the scenes to keep the site audit process up to date with current industry trends. Let’s try to get in front of the hazards, so we can anticipate for our fellow technicians before an accident occurs. Reporting near misses are just as important as deficiencies!

The devotion from the NATE Board members and the NATE committee members is amazing. Let’s take advantage of the opportunity we have in this moment with NATE growing so quickly and with the NATE-OSHA-FCC Partnership. Let’s do our part by providing high-level site audit data. Doing more than the minimum and completing site audits with a high level of detail will absolutely contribute to the greater goal of improving safety in our industry.

I hope everyone has a great summer with plenty of profitable work that can be completed safely. To the crews on the road, building our telecommunications infrastructure, thank you! When we all do our part, we all get to go home safe and sound. ●

Andy Van Roekel is a member of the NATE OSHA Relations Committee and is a Sales Executive at Tower Systems, Inc. He can be reached at 605-886-0930 or andy@towersystems.com.

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Personal Debt and Communications

The average American debt is currently $58,604 and 77% of American households have at least some type of debt (data.census.gov; newyorkfed.org; federalreserve.gov). I could find no specific data on the communications industry specifically, but it is likely very close to these numbers. Even more startling is that the average annual wage for a tower climber is about $57,910 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I would define debt as owing money to anybody for any reason, the large categories being: student loans, credit card debt, home equity lines of credit, mortgages, and auto loans.

The average APR (annual percentage rate) on credit cards in 2021 was about 17.13%. Eight out of ten adults (80%) have at least one credit card and carry a balance. The total amount of American debt is $14.96 trillion including all forms of debt, and $787 billion of that is credit card debt. This means that Americans paid $134.81 billion in interest alone to credit card companies (this is based on data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for 2021).

That is a staggering amount of debt and a mind-numbing amount of interest being paid every year by working Americans just trying to make a living. Even more important is the fact that our workforce in the wireless industry is living paycheck to paycheck (78% of Americans), and likely carrying close to the US average in credit card and other debt as they are building out our infrastructure. It is important to note that many of these tower climbers and other telecom technicians must take out loans to pay for their training and equipment.

I see the solution as simple. We need to educate our tower climbers, technicians, CM’s, and other Telecommunication employees on the importance, and methods, of staying out of debt. An employee who is distracted by money problems and concerned about feeding their family is not going to be an effective team member.

If we can educate our team members on how to get out of debt and stay out of debt, it is like giving them an immediate raise. Furthermore, it empowers those team members to understand that they can control where their money goes.

According to the 2022 SmartDollar Employee Benefits Study performed by the Ramsey team (Dave Ramsey) 45% of employees are distracted by their financial problems while they are at work. The effects of financial problems can be multiple:

Anxiety

Worry

Depression

Difficulty Sleeping

Gaining/Losing Weight

Physical and Health Issues

Poor Coping Habits

Dave Ramsey recommends using these tools to get out of debt:

Budgeting – Create a detailed budget every month and allocate every dollar where it needs to go.

Create an Emergency Fund – There are two stages to this. A small emergency fund of $1,000 to start, until you pay off all of your debt, and a fully funded emergency fund equivalent to 3-6 months of expenses.

Negotiate with creditors – If you are in default, or cannot pay your debt, this can help. This does not usually happen unless you are six months behind.

Cut up all credit cards and get rid of all debt.

Debt Snowball – list all your debts from smallest to largest and pay them off in that order. As you pay off one debt, take the payment from that debt and roll it to the next debt.

Some methods that I do not recommend, but people have used are:

Debt Consolidation – this generally does not accomplish anything but move your debt around.

Credit Counseling – most of these companies want to charge you to make payments.

Bankruptcy – I never recommend this option.

In full disclosure, I am a Dave Ramsey Financial Coach, and I follow his methodologies. It is the only method I recommend for getting out of debt. https://www.ramseysolutions.com/

One of the key methods for getting out of debt, and staying out of debt, is to act your “wage,” this is why doing a budget is critical. Make sure you are not living above your means. Even if you are not making much right now, knowing what you can spend is critical to making sure that you do not go into debt.

There are multiple positive effects of helping your team members get out and stay out of debt. This will reduce their overall financial stress and increase overall job satisfaction. Employees that are financially stable can focus their energy and attention on job responsibilities, and allow them to save for the future, including investing in their educational or professional development. This in turn will result in increased employee retention and growth within the organization.

There are training, apps, and other tools that companies can use to keep employees focused on getting and staying out of debt. One app that companies can promote is called SmartDollar (https://www. ramseysolutions.com/corporate-wellness/smartdollar). It provides tools for the employee’s educational, budgeting, tracking, and financial needs. It offers coaching and a user-friendly dashboard. Other apps include Goodbudget (https://goodbudget.com/), YNAB (https://www.ynab.com/), Everydollar (https://www. ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/everydollar/home), and PocketGuard (https://pocketguard.com/), all of which employees can get for themselves (items rated in Nerdwallet).

I think as an industry, if we take these financial concerns seriously and educate field and office teams about how to avoid debt, the results will be a well-focused and motivated team that is happy to be at work. ●

Wayne Murray is a member of the Military of NATE Committee and is the Vice President of Construction at Resound Networks, LLC, in Pampa, Texas. He can be reached at 1-800-806-1719 x 516 or wayne.murray@resoundnetworks.com.

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In May I surpassed my second year in the tower industry. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction science and management and had ten-plus years of construction work experience. During my final year of college, I completed an internship with Hayden Tower Service and signed on with them full-time as a Project Manager after graduation.

From the beginning, I was informed about NATE and its purpose. Hayden is a NATE founding member, so I have heard stories of NATE’s origin and how it has developed since then. I was fortunate to become a member of the Member Services Committee about a year ago and attended the 2022 NATE Summer Conference in Austin, Texas, and NATE UNITE 2023 in Orlando, Florida, this past winter.

Even with my short time in the industry, I have been welcomed by everyone. I look forward to contributing to NATE’s development over the coming years and I am excited to be a part of the growing NATE community.

I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the current membership benefits. These benefits include the following:

Member involvement and networking

Continuing education opportunities

Access to the NATE membership listing

Free members-only access to NATE safety materials (Digital)

Free NATE safety resources (Digital)

Free online resources

Communication

Member discounts on advertising, NATE UNITE, and much more

NATE EXCHANGE

NATE PERKS

STAR Initiative

Legislative & regulatory representation

U.S. DOT – Federal motor carrier safety administration interpretation letter on utility service vehicles

Industry relations

Legal resources

Regulation & standards

Membership plaque and certificate

NATE Wireless Industry Network (WIN) program

NATE employee benefits hub powered by Gallagher

ProSys CertTrac by OneVizion

NATE Mentorship Program

NATE retirement benefits

TelecomJobs Connect

We are the Member Services Committee. Please do not hesitate to send suggestions or ideas to any of our committee members or the NATE Administrative Staff.

Kyle Kilner is a member of the NATE Member Services Committee and Project Manager at Hayden Tower Service, Inc. in Topeka, Kansas. He can be reached at 785-213-3179 or kkilner@haydentower.com.

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In a Haze: Marijuana Positivity and Safety Hazards in the Workplace Reach 25-Year Record

Marijuana impairment and related safety hazards have been disrupting the workplace resulting in lost time, absenteeism, safety hazards, and serious industrial accidents. As of this article’s publication, more than two-thirds of states have legalized recreational and/or medical marijuana. We track annual positivity test reports from Quest Diagnostics, one of the country’s largest drug testing laboratories. Quest’s recently released 2023 Drug Testing Index reveals that while positivity rates for some drugs declined, the rise in positivity rates for marijuana and amphetamine continues to climb. Of the more than six million general workforce marijuana tests that Quest performed in 2022, 4.3% came back positive, up from 3.9% the prior year.

Worse still, post-accident marijuana positivity of urine drug tests in the general U.S. workforce was 7.3%, an increase of 9% compared to 6.7% in 2021. While the data is not entirely clear, it is possible that the widespread state legalization of marijuana has contributed to an increase in test positivity and also workplace safety hazards. The mandatory testing workforce (e.g. DOT-regulated CDL commercial motor vehicle drives) show consistently low levels of positivity, suggesting that some segments of the working population continue to avoid marijuana impairment despite living in states with marijuana legalization.

Though some scientific studies found no evidence that cannabis users experienced higher rates of work-related injuries, impairment at work is a different matter. Scientific testing indicates greater likelihood of errors in judgment and workplace accidents where an employee is impaired by marijuana. A National Safety Council white paper continues to recommend a Zero Tolerance Policy for marijuana in safety-sensitive positions. Federal OSHA further advocates for post-accident drug testing as a legitimate part of root cause analysis to determine the cause of an accident.

Employers have struggled to address the hazard of marijuana impairment at work and how best to protect workplace safety. A problem for employers is that none of the scientifically valid drug tests for marijuana definitively prove whether a person is impaired at or near the time of an accident or the time they provide a specimen for testing. This differs from alcohol testing, which has a direct impairment associated with the levels of Blood Alcohol Content. The law and employers use drug testing results instead as a legal presumption of impairment. Moreover, state and local marijuana laws are making it increasingly difficult for employers to even consider or act on a positive marijuana test result. Accordingly, employers often must re-evaluate the compliance with their current drug and alcohol testing programs.

Compliant drug and alcohol programs should (and under some state laws, must) include training for supervisors to identify the signs and behaviors associated with drug impairment. Employers utilize reasonable suspicion checklists to fully document these concerns and protect against liabilities going forward. Active supervision by managers will help employers identify impaired employees in safety-sensitive roles, and hopefully prevent accidents before they happen. To prove the defense of unforeseeable employee misconduct in an OSHA case, employers must prove that they supervised for violations of safety rules and enforced the rules with verbal and/or written discipline when they identified safety rule violations. Accordingly, employers should ensure that they identify drug and alcohol rule violations and take appropriate disciplinary action.

Under federal case law, both sending an employee for a drug test and discharging an employee on the basis of a positive drug test could be pleaded as adverse employment actions in support of an employment claim. Accordingly, each employee who violates the employer’s drug and alcohol policy must be treated fairly and appropriately. Each violation should be investigated and disciplinary action should be based on the individual facts; employers should avoid treating similarly-situated employees differently and thereby creating liabilities founded on allegations of disparate treatment.

Employers looking to address drugs and alcohol in the workplace should work with outside counsel to ensure that they have compliant programs in place and are implementing those programs consistent with the law.

Mark A. Lies, II is a Labor and Employment Law attorney and Partner with Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Lies can be contacted at 312-460-5877 or mlies@seyfarth.com.

Adam R. Young is a Labor and Employment Law attorney and Partner with Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Young can be contacted at ayoung@seyfarth.com or 312-460-5538.

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Enrolling in Medicare

Turning 65 is a milestone for many individuals as it signals eligibility for Medicare. This checklist guide will provide you with guidance on how to enroll in Medicare and how to make the process easier in the weeks and months ahead.

Please note that this is just a starting point. You should also discuss your healthcare strategy with your financial advisor.

Medicare Components Medicare is made up of a few main parts:

Part A covers inpatient hospital stays.

Part B covers doctor services, outpatient care, medical equipment, and preventative exams.

Part C or Medicare Advantage is offered by private companies and fills in the coverage gaps of Part A and B. Part C provides supplemental health care benefits such as wellness programs, routine vision care, and most offer prescription drug coverage.

Part D covers the cost of prescription drugs not covered by original Medicare and is also offered by private insurers.

Part F or Medigap is supplemental insurance provided by private insurance companies.

Generally, Part F is paired with Part D and carries higher premiums than Medicare Advantage but lower out-of-pocket expenses.

Part F also provides greater flexibility when it comes to choosing healthcare providers compared to Medicare Advantage.

Read more about the costs associated with healthcare and speak with your financial advisor about which factors to consider as it will determine the combination of your benefits.

Enrolling in Original Medicare (Parts A and B)

If you are collecting Social Security prior to age 65:

Enrollment in Part A and B is automatic three months prior to turning 65.

Note that if you are covered by a qualified employer health plan (or covered under your spouse’s employer health plan), you can choose to delay enrolling in Part B during this initial period without incurring a penalty in the future.

Contact your (or your spouse’s) health plan administrator to see if you are required to enroll in order to receive full benefits. There are other considerations such as premiums and benefits covered.

If you are not collecting Social Security prior to 65

Three months prior to turning 65 collect the following necessary information and materials for application.

Complete and submit the application for Part A & B.

Once you have applied for Parts A and B, you can explore your supplemental healthcare options. Generally, individuals will enroll in Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Coverage and Medigap.

Option 1: Enrolling Medicare Advantage (Part C)

Apply for Part C with a private insurer as soon as you are enrolled in Parts A and B.

Browse and compare Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans in your area.

Option 2: Enrolling Prescription Drug Coverage and Medigap (Part D and Part F)

Apply for Parts D and F as soon as you’ve enrolled in Parts A and B.

To Join a Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage)

Enroll on the Medicare Plan Finder or on the specific plan’s website or call the Medicare line at 1-800-MEDICARE.

Have your Medicare Number handy. When you join a prescription drug plan, you will need to provide your Medicare Number and the date your Part A and/or Part B coverage started. This information is on your Medicare Card.

To Enroll in Part F (Medigap)

Browse and compare Medigap plans in your area.

Submit to medical underwriting for the insurance company plan provider.

For Part F there is generally no medical underwriting during the initial enrollment period. However, when switching plans medical writing is required. ●

This article was provided by Michael Cole and James Willers, Financial Advisors with UBS Wealth Management USA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Important information about brokerage and advisory services. As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers investment advisory services in its capacity as an SEC-registered investment adviser and brokerage services in its capacity as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that you understand the ways in which we conduct business, and that you carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to you about the products or services we offer. For more information, please review the client relationship summary provided at ubs.com/relationshipsummary, or ask your UBS Financial Advisor for a copy.

© UBS 2023. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS Group AG. Member FINRA. Member SIPC. ubs.com/fs 2022-876101 Exp.: 08/31/2023, IS2204574

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NATE Spearheads Successful D.C. Fly-In

On Wednesday, May 17, a robust group of NATE member companies convened in Washington, D.C. to participate in the Association’s 2023 Congressional Fly-In. During the fly-in, NATE members participated in over 100 meetings with Members of Congress and their respective policy staff.

The meetings served as a forum for member company representatives to highlight industry priorities including workforce development, broadband funding, and streamlining the permitting process to expedite the deployment of communications infrastructure.

GuidePost Strategies was proud to partner with NATE to execute a successful Fly-In.

Post-Fly-In Congressional Developments

Since the May 17 Fly-In, Congress has maintained a busy schedule, from the House Energy and Commerce Committee conducting oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to the same panel advancing measures to streamline the permitting process for broadband projects.

But the biggest congressional development in the wake of the Fly-In has been the debate and eventual deal to raise the debt limit and cut federal spending. The deal, which at the time of drafting this article passed the House, has a number of implications for federal spending and other congressional priorities, including the most significant permitting reform measures since the 1980s.

Ultimately, the permitting reform measures included in the debt-limit and spending deal as advanced by the House reflects the urgency of minimizing project delays.

The deal, which at the time of drafting includes a number of permitting reform measures that will be considered by the Senate, provides for a more streamlined scheduling process for projects, procedures to elevate delays or disputes, and a right of action to protect applicants if statutory deadlines are not met.

NATE’s member companies are not alone in their concerns over burdensome agency delays; Congress appears determined to make key infrastructure projects across the board more feasible and more achievable. ●

This article was provided by Rachel Cohen, Director of Policy Research with GuidePost Strategies, LLC. She can be reached at rcohen@guidepoststrategy.com.

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NATE Flexes Grassroots Muscle on Capitol Hill

by Todd Schlekeway, President & CEO of NATE

The feature story of this edition of Tower Times devotes coverage to the 2023 NATE Member Congressional Fly-In Event which was held May 16-17 in the nation’s capital.

The grassroots NATE Member Congressional Fly-In was an impactful event advocating for the communications infrastructure industry’s legislative policy priorities. Over the course of two days, 90 NATE member company representatives descended upon Capitol Hill and had 120 meetings with U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and Congressional Staff members. I had a smile on my face all day as I saw participants traversing the Senate and House office buildings on the Hill to meet with their respective Congressional delegations!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and the photo gallery of Fly-In participant meetings included in these pages paints a powerful representation of the Association’s member company volunteer commitment and grassroots prowess.

I would like to say a special thank you to our member participants, industry coalition partners, U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and Congressional Staff for helping make the Fly-In event a success.

NATE Participates in Ohio Second Chance Re-Entry Program Announcement

In another example of NATE’s growing stature in both the Legislative and Workforce Development arenas, the Association was recently invited by stakeholders from Ohio Governor Mike Dewine’s administration to take part in a Second Chance Re-Entry Program Event Announcement at the Dayton (OH) Correctional Institution.

The announcement event recognized the upcoming Telecommunications Tower Technician 1 (TTT1) Pilot Program Co-Hort consisting of properly vetted incarcerated individuals nearing release. The Second Chance Re-Entry Program, a collaborative effort involving the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction and Industry will be offered at North Central State College, which is located near a correctional facility in Mansfield, Ohio.

I was privileged to be joined by several NATE member companies from the Buckeye State at the event and provided with an opportunity to speak on behalf of the Association. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, and AT&T Ohio President Molly Kocour Boyle also addressed the attendees.

Industry Headwinds

NATE’s leadership is acutely aware of some of the industry’s significant headwinds and challenges confronting the Association’s contractor and vendor companies due to the slowdown and reduced CAPEX investments by the industry’s major wireless carrier customers. I want to reassure NATE’s members that we are aware of these issues related to pricing that the industry’s small businesses are experiencing.

NATE is here to be a voice for the contractor. Feel free to reach out to me directly via phone at (605) 882-5865 or e-mail todd@natehome.com to discuss some of the pain points your company is experiencing.

NATE - All In, Always!

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Chairman's Corner - 2023 Tower Times Volume 3

As we emerge from our NATE Member Congressional Fly-In Event in D.C. and other prominent industry conferences this past spring, it is clear that there is a change in the air. The primary conversations evolve around work slowdown, bankruptcies of major vendors, matrix pricing cuts, and additional flow down of duties and responsibilities to the contractors who perform the work. We have inflation at 15%, compared to the Carter Administration in the mid to late 1970's which peaked at 14.6%, and we have interest rates rising at a pace only surpassed during the Carter years.

This is a time when we can look at the landscape as a glass half full or half empty; with every downturn in the economy or event in our history, we can look to people that take these opportunities to either hang their heads or innovate and improve themselves.

As contractors, engineers, suppliers, and manufacturers in the telecom industry we know one thing, people will always need to communicate, and we are the people that enable the connectivity to make that a reality.

As NATE member companies, we have all been riding a hectic pace for over 10 years of increasing build plans as we rolled from 3G to LTE to 4G and now into 5G. We have seen a tremendous boom in the macro tower business and a constant uptick in small cell and fiber deployments. There has been a lot to do.

The upside is that these installations need to be maintained and continually expanded. The work that was done 10 years ago by the carrier’s field technicians is now done by NATE member companies. The radio heads are now mounted on light fixtures, telephone poles, and towers. This is a time when companies that invest or have invested in technical training will lead the next generation, building and maintaining our communication infrastructure.

Over the last several years, there has been an increasing rate of access to cheap capital, and many larger companies acquired into the telecom space assuming the bubble would never burst. Some companies agreed to subpar pricing for the opportunity to tie up large volumes of work and now with increased inflation and interest rates, that pricing no longer looks quite as good as it did 18 months ago. As the owner of a contractor business for over 30 years, my advice is to know your costs and understand what it takes to operate your business profitably.

During the recent round of NATE C-Suite meeting visits with some of the industry’s major customers (carriers and vertical real estate/tower owners), we had some great dialogue discussing the pricing and, although it will take some time to get major change, we are delivering a compelling and worthy message. NATE UNITE 2024 in Memphis will also have several educational sessions on business management topics that will provide immense value and I look forward to seeing you there.

Victor Drouin is the Chairman of NATE and President of Green Mountain Communications, Inc. in Pembroke, New Hampshire. He can be reached at 603-717-7117 or v.drouin@greenmtncomm.com.

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Using Tools to Promote Awareness of Telecom Jobs

Workforce development continues to be a top priority given the continuing industry workforce shortage. The workforce need is critical and during 2022 the Workforce Development Committee completed a number of initiatives in support of developing a telecom workforce to combat the current shortage.

The committee completed the Telecom Tower Technician I (TTT1) curriculum for use by two-year community colleges, launched the URL TelecomJobsConnect.com for member companies to post jobs and for applicants to apply, and designed six college recruitment commercials and a five-minute video titled “A Day in the Life of a Tower Technician” which can also be used by NATE member companies.

The focus of the Workforce Development Committee through 2023 is to leverage the developed media tools to increase the public’s awareness of the telecom industry and the multitude of viable career pathways available to high school and college graduates. A key initiative is to intentionally promote the showing of the documentary film, Vertical Freedom to large public school districts.

Currently, the committee is coordinating with the Clark County School District in Nevada to show the film during Science Week 2023 to both parents and students. The film’s initial showing will include a tower technician from a NATE member company who will answer audience questions and the district who will supply popcorn and pizza for the audience. Following the initial showing the District plans to continue using the film each semester to promote the industry with student groups.

Additionally, the committee will continue to promote and encourage community colleges to adopt the TTT1 curriculum and to post the TelecomJobsConnect.com link and the five-minute video on their job boards for their current and future students to access. Graduates with technical education experience provide companies with a talent pipeline who are equipped with in-demand skills. Community colleges have a myriad of career, technical, and business graduates who are prime candidates for a variety of telecom positions.

As a NATE Member company, the Workforce Development Committee encourages you to post your telecom job openings on the TelecomJobsConnect.com portal. The portal is user-friendly and the applicants will apply directly through your company’s website. Also, if your company has not leveraged the video “A Day in the Life of a Tower Tech” we encourage you to post it on your website and share it with others in your community.

Lastly, the Workforce Development Committee will be working with a designer to update the Elevate Your Future brochure to connect with today’s youth. The plans are to update the pictures and verbiage, include a QR code and video links, and include climbing and non-climbing career pathways.

Throughout 2023 NATE will continue to initiate outreach activities and seek new network opportunities to raise awareness of the continuing workforce needs and opportunities for individual, personal, and professional growth in the telecom industry.

Gemma Frock Ph.D. is the Chairwoman of the Workforce Development Committee and President of GKF Consulting in Augusta, Georgia. She can be reached at 706-373-3729 or g.frock@comcast.net.

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OSHA Relations Committee Article in 2023 Tower Times Volume 2

The OSHA Relations Committee reelected me, Justin Miller, Vice President of ET Tower, LLC & Business Development Executive for Ontivity, as the 2023 Chairman of OSHA Relations.

“I am proud to serve the OSHA Relations Committee. I am very grateful to have such an amazing group of people to help provide a continuing source of information to NATE members and the telecommunications industry regarding OSHA, industry standards and best practices to enhance safety, reduce incidents, and deliver a platform for a more effective workforce.” - Justin Miller

NATE Director of Safety, Health & Compliance, Kathy Stieler provided the committee with an update on NATE’s pursuit to have a seat on the ANSI/ASSP A10 Committee. We are awaiting the A10 committee response.

Don Doty provided the committee with an update on ANSI/ASSP A10.48 revisions. Over 120 comments were submitted to the A10.48 Committee. Comments are being addressed and progress is being made as quickly as possible.

JP Jones and I provided the committee with updates on the NATE-OSHA-FCC Partnership (OSP), the OSP Steering Team has developed three task teams.

Data & Research Task Team – is tasked with creating buckets to collect and articulate the data for analytics and mining of data that has been submitted.

Editing Task Team – takes information from the data and research task team and drafts Hazard Recognition Icons and further defines the purpose of the icon.

3. Communication Task Team – is tasked with the public distribution means and methods, along with the design of the icons for what it looks like, color, fonts, graphic art, etc.

The current task is to develop an Energy Wheel of Hazard Recognition Icons, within the Hazard Recognition Icons we will establish STCKY “Stuff that can kill you” to help bring the communication industry a well-defined training tool to enhance safety and improve data collection in the future.

NATE STAR Initiative data was reviewed, and plans are being developed on how to better educate and inform the NATE members with guidance and best practices to enhance safety programs. We highly encourage all NATE members to complete the application for the NATE STAR Initiative Program. We have complied the 2021-2022 data for our NATE members to help provide transparency of the data collected.

The committee will also be taking NATE’s Industry Standards, Regulations & Safety Resources Document and assigning the part number section from the NATE STAR Initiative Audit form and correlating back to which industry standards and regulations better guide the employers and the auditors.

OSHA Relations has also developed another task team titled, Hoisting Grip Member Advisory lead by Kathy Stieler. Additional task team members will be Richard Cullum, Sheri O’Dell-Deuer, Joey Deuer, Jeremy Buckles, Cameron Swanson, Jeff Pettit, Miles Mellor, and JP Jones. The team will provide guidance and perform research that relates to Hoisting Grip(s) and how they are used in our industry. Expect to see more information very soon.

The OSHA Relations Committee is also responsible for the task team titled, Rigging Training Standard (RTS). This task team is hard at work developing a deliverable for the industry. The RTS document is framed much like the recently revised Climber/Rescuer Training Standard (CRTS). We hope to have a more in-depth report for the Summer Conference.

Lastly, the OSHA Relations Committee is always looking for feedback and questions that can inspire the forward progress of safety and standards. I highly encourage our non-members and NATE members to reach out to our committee for clarity or guidance. ●

Justin Miller is the Chairman of the NATE OSHA Relations Committee and Vice President of Business Development at ET Tower in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He can be reached at 719-963-8822 or justin@ettower.com.

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NATE Training and Small Cell/DAS Installations Committee Article - 2023 Tower Times Volume 2

In 2022, NATE received the Susan Harwood Grant from OSHA to produce the Electrical Safety Awareness Training for Telecom Workers. As part of this program, the NATE team worked closely with several representatives from member companies to produce comprehensive training that includes many of the different facets of telecom construction.

The curriculum development team consisted of Richard Cullum, Dave Hall, Kenneth Hill, George Kerstetter, Nick Wilkerson, and me. This is the second time I have had the pleasure of working with NATE on the curriculum development committee, and also the second time I have been an instructor for the completed training. In 2021, NATE received the same grant to produce the 5G-Small Cell Deployment Training which was directed solely at communications installations in the ROW and for projects that achieve densification of a Wireless Carrier network. Students in both courses have given me extremely positive reviews of the content, and I believe they are extremely beneficiary to NATE member firms.

At the NATE UNITE conference in February 2023, the Small Cell and DAS Committee shared concerns over the lack of training available to technicians that perform our highly specialized installs throughout the country. Our conversations were very productive, but they got me thinking: the 2023 Training is an outstanding resource for safety awareness in our industry, and it carries some extremely informative topics relating to communications installations and the electrical hazards associated with them. As someone with both a Tower and Small Cell/DAS background, the importance of this training was not lost on me.

During the first class, which took place in Wisconsin in February, many of the students were technicians. This is the target audience for NATE, as we continue to promote safety among our member companies.

The NATE catalog of Susan Harwood Grant Training Courses contains some outstanding resources for our industry. I wanted to take this opportunity to share where these training courses can be found and encourage member firms to share them with their team members. Visit natehome.com/safety-education/susan-harwood-grant-courses/ to find the student workbooks, instructor manuals, and the PowerPoint presentations used in the training sessions.

For many teams, these resources will provide invaluable information that may not be readily available, or assembled in a manner that proves to be easily presented in a timely fashion. I strongly encourage our member companies to utilize these trainings and book your opportunity to attend the 2023 Electrical Safety Awareness Training, as soon as possible. Stay safe! ●

Corey Manus is the Chairman of the Small Cell and DAS Committee and can be reached at corey.manus@gmail.com or by phone at 770-605-4421.

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Safety & Education Committee Article - 2023 Tower Times Volume 2

EPIC. That word has been bandied about by so many people when discussing NATE UNITE 2023; and in my opinion, it is the most appropriate. This supersized event was an incredible opportunity for networking, learning about the newest equipment and services on the exhibit floor, and complete with informative sessions on a myriad of topics.

In the spirit of this great event, the Safety & Education Committee is tackling a super-sized list of initiatives with the goal of providing valuable safety resources to membership.

First, we continue the development of the new and improved Safety Posters. You have likely seen a couple of these in past issues of Tower Times. The latest completed topics include Lockout/Tagout, RF Monitor Selection, and Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs). The Task Team is nearing completion on RF Awareness and Trenching and Excavation topics as well. The scope of the project is to develop 52 topics that could be used to lead weekly Toolbox Talks.

Additional topics will also be created to address hot-button issues, changes in equipment, etc. in the future.

Upon publishing the NATE RF Awareness Booklet last year, the committee was approached by an RF engineering and consulting group who shared their insight on upcoming changes in the RF realm that influence our industry. Most notably are changes to RF signage and updated guidance for both the FCC OET 56 and 65 bulletins. The committee will continue to discuss the best way to share the upcoming changes with membership.

The review and revision of the NATE Hoist Operator Training Document is also well underway. The document updates are approximately 45% complete, with the task team very close to completion of the initial edit of the original document. The purpose of the review is to update standard and regulation references to current as well as to change the format of the document to a handbook that can be used by membership to create their own training on the topic.

Work continues on two initiatives identified in last year’s summer conference: JHA Best Practices and Nomenclature and Mentoring New Hires. These two topics are slated to become part of NATE’s Safety & Health Manual as they are developed.

Lastly, a new Task Team was created to research and develop guidance on the topic of bonding cranes and hoists to the structure when working near power lines. This was a project that was created based on an incident in the industry and, upon further testing, the findings were shocking (pun fully intended). This document will likely take the form of a PAN or whitepaper when completed.

I would like to take a moment to thank the Safety & Education Committee members for all the hard work and long hours they volunteered to create these documents. NATE members should know you have a dedicated group of all-stars working hard for you behind the scenes.

While it is shaping up to be a busy year, we would still love to hear your feedback. The most exciting thing about this list of projects is that all of the items on it were brought to us in part by membership. We want to know what membership needs and how we can support you. If there are initiatives you would like to discuss, reach out and let me know. Stay safe, friends.

Dominique Valdez is a Director of NATE, the Chairwoman of the NATE Safety & Education Committee, and VP of Operations for Wireless Construction Solutions in San Antonio, Texas. She can be reached at 210-858-6115 or dv@dgjpholdings.com.

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Working Safely Around Downed Electrical Wires

Electrical hazards multiply for workers involved in cleanup and recovery efforts following major disasters and weather emergencies. A life-threatening danger exists around downed and low-hanging electrical wires which can still be energized following a storm.

Safety First Always consider all electrical equipment, lines, and conductors to be energized. If you notice downed wires or damaged electrical equipment, contact appropriate utility personnel if you can. Circuits do not always turn off when a power line falls into a tree or onto the ground. Reloaders automatically try to reset circuits and restore power when it is interrupted.

Even if electric lines are not sparking or humming, fallen electric lines can electrocute you if you touch them or the ground nearby.

Energy Downed wires can energize other nearby objects, such as fences, water pipes, bushes and trees, buildings, and telephone/CATV/fiber optic cables. Even manhole castings and reinforcement bars (rebar) in the pavement can become energized by downed wires. During storms, wind-blown objects such as canopies, aluminum roofs, siding, and sheds can also be energized by downed wires.

Backfeed The improper connection of portable generators to a building’s electrical system is one-way hazardous backfeed conditions are created!

Backfeed is a hazardous condition created when temporary sources of electricity (such as a generator) are connected to the damaged permanent system causing electricity to flow inside and outside a structure through connected lines and equipment. In emergency conditions, portable generators should only be used as standalone sources of power, and (except for properly wired by-pass or isolation connections) not connected to a building’s electrical system. If a generator is connected to a building’s electrical system, it must be done with a properly installed main breaker bypass to prevent electricity from flowing out of the building and into downed power lines.

Some other sources of backfeed include:

Circuit ties/switch points Lightning Downstream events Always ensure that proper lockout/tagout procedures are followed to avoid connecting two electrical sources to the same circuit. Rules to Live By Do not assume that a downed power line is safe simply because it is on the ground or it is not sparking. Do not assume that any wire is a harmless telephone, television, or fiber-optic cable, and does not carry lethal current. Treat everything electrical as energized until tested and proven to be de-energized.

Never go near a downed or fallen electric power line.

Electricity can spread outward through the ground in a circular shape from the point of contact. As you move away from the center, large differences in voltages can be created.

Never drive over downed power lines. Assume that they are energized.

If contact is made with an energized power line while you are in a vehicle, remain calm and do not get out unless the vehicle is on fire. If possible, call for help.

If you must exit any equipment because of fire or other safety reasons, try to jump completely clear, making sure that you do not touch the equipment and the ground at the same time. Land with both feet together and shuffle away in small steps to minimize the path of electric current and avoid electrical shock. Be careful to maintain your balance. Workers’ Rights Workers have the right to:

Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.

Receive information and training (in a language and vocabulary the worker understands) about workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.

Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses.

File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA’s rules. OSHA will keep all identities confidential.

Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation, including reporting an injury or raising health and safety concerns with their employer or OSHA. If a worker has been retaliated against for using their rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days. For additional information, see OSHA’s Workers page (www.osha.gov/workers). ●

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Members of the Military of NATE Committee were ‘all hands-on deck’ in Orlando for NATE UNITE 2023. The action and excitement started at the NATE Information Lounge as soon as the event opened with folks lining up to get their 2023 Military of NATE Challenge Coin. That energy carried over into our committee meeting where one of the main topics we discussed was ways to increase the number of veterans we reach, whether they are already in our industry or looking for a way to break into it. That energy was felt again at Monday night’s NATE UNITE 2023 Welcome Reception as members of the committee presented the Tower Family Foundation with a $12,000 check made possible by the proceeds of the 2022 Inaugural Challenge Coin.

For 2023, our committee is concentrating on veteran Mental Health and Suicide Awareness. Through statistics confirmed by the Veteran Administration, 22 veterans a day are succumbing to suicide on American soil. If you were able to get a hold of a 2023 Military of NATE Challenge Coin, you would see the words “RECOGNIZE, ACT, SAVE” and “22 A DAY” embossed on the coin. These simple words serve as a call to action for Veteran Mental Health and Suicide Awareness issues, along with a remembrance to the 22 brothers and sisters who lose their battle each day.

For many years, I personally have been involved with non-profits trying to reduce and eliminate the number of veteran suicides. In my experience, just being aware of something is not enough. Veterans, or just people in general, all have a desire for a mission and a purpose. Often, when we lose sight of our mission and purpose we tend to gravitate toward a dark path in life. One of our committee objectives is to provide NATE member companies with resources that will assist veterans in regaining their mission and purpose either in life or their career.

As employers, we need to take the approach of the entire company providing for and interacting positively with our military veterans in order for those veterans to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. Most of us know the proverb “It takes a village….” The same can be said when discussing the veteran community. Let’s get rid of the narrative that someone enlists, goes to war, comes back, and is diagnosed with a mental health condition or is broken. Somehow there’s this connotation that because they have PTSD, they chose to take their own life. This is a false narrative as the vast majority returning to civilian life do so adequately. Overall, it is our industry leaders, our safety managers, and our crew leads, who need to take the initiative to “RECOGNIZE, ACT, SAVE” in the event they find a veteran inside their company who is struggling.

If you know someone who might need assistance and you are not sure where to turn or what to do for them, please reach out to anyone on the Military of NATE committee, including me. We will be able to help provide the guidance and resources you may need to assist someone in need.

To conclude, I want to say thank you to the NATE staff for such a great event at NATE UNITE 2023. It was an honor and privilege to be front and center in the information lounge. We were able to interact with more attendees this year than at the previous conference. I also want to thank MDTS, TCSI, and Michigan Towers, Inc for their contributions to the production of this year’s coin. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Tower Systems, Inc. for placing, yet again, the winning bid for the 2023 #001 Military of NATE Challenge Coin and wall art. We look forward to NATE UNITE 2024 to see how much we will raise for Warriors4Wireless.●

Nick Trussell is the Chairman of the Military of NATE and Director of Operations for Michigan Towers, Inc in Traverse City, Michigan. He can be reached at 330-904-9431 or ntrussell@mitowers.com.

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NATE is a member-driven, non-profit association led by a Board of Directors. For the last four years, I was blessed to be able to serve this Association under the leadership of Chairman Jimmy Miller (AKA Dad, Bossman, and Papa). The NATE Chairman role with Dad has been a fun, busy, and rewarding four years. From Texas to Canada, and from Los Angeles to the White House; the travels when volunteering will get you to a Platinum level with any airline pretty quickly!

For anyone reading this that has ever questioned what it takes to be on the Board of Directors of NATE or questioned what it is the Chairman even does, I challenge you to get more involved with the Association. This Chairman and our Association leaders do not sit in suits and ties behind desks all day. I am pretty sure they all go shopping the week before NATE UNITE for a nice outfit to get them through the week!

These men and women volunteer their time for the betterment of our entire industry. Serving under them are hundreds of committee volunteers doing the same thing! They not only run and operate their own companies, but they go above and beyond after hours and on weekends to give back to the industry through NATE. They have a passion for this industry, and they care about the safety of the men and women doing the work day in and day out to build and maintain our wireless infrastructure!

To quote Bryan Lee from NATE UNITE, “I know that tower climbers are walking this Earth right now that wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the work that this Association has done.”

Once again, the NATE UNITE event hit record-high numbers! It is always the biggest, busiest, and by far the best industry event of the year. Every year I leave this show feeling empowered and motivated and this year is no different.

Thank you to the entire NATE Administrative Staff and the dozens of committee volunteers who spent months, weeks, days, and hundreds of hours working behind the scenes to make this show a huge success!

The Member Services Committee meeting was full of new, enthusiastic volunteers and we spent our time brainstorming and creating Task Teams to work on new initiatives. The Association currently has 1,134 member companies, and we are constantly working to ensure that every member company has the quality benefits and necessary resources they need. We also have a Task Team working on education strategies to help bring more education and resources to our members on a regional level.

If you have not checked out the new NATE PERKS program, head on over to the NATE website. This program provides tangible discounts offered by NATE Supplier members directly to the Association’s member companies that you don’t want to miss.

Stay tuned for more coming with the NATE Mentorship Program as well. This program is designed to foster an exchange of ideas, expertise, and camaraderie among NATE members at all levels!

When I started our Member Services meeting this year, I had all committee members introduce themselves, tell us how they got into the industry, and why they were still here. It was almost a 50-50 split on people still being in the industry either because of their passion for it or the people. The Mentorship Program is an ideal opportunity to give back to other people or a way to connect to industry veterans who can help you achieve your goals.

Speaking of the people, we want to hear from you and know your company’s why! Our committee is looking for NATE Member testimonials. Please send videos or inquiries and let us share your company’s story within NATE at jill@natehome.com.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to any committee members or the NATE Administrative Staff with any questions or feedback you have. Our members' direct feedback and needs are what helps drive our committee.

We work for you because WE ARE YOU. ●

Jordyn M. Ladner is the Chairwoman of the NATE Member Services Committee and an Operations Manager of MILLERCO in Gulfport, Mississippi. She can be reached at 228-297-3358 or jordynm@millercoinc.com.

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Keeping Our Troops Connected: Simplifying Tower Builds on U.S. Military Installations

From the Army’s largest training base to the remote regions of Alaska, the military has an extensive geographic footprint that requires robust wireless connectivity. However, complex siting and spectrum broadcast requirements can make military installations some of the most challenging environments to deploy cellular infrastructure and wireless services.

Despite complexities, action is needed to build the next generation of wireless networks. Next-generation infrastructure can further density and enhance networks to support military operations as well as better quality of life for service members, their families, and their surrounding communities.

To keep our service members connected and uphold Department of Defense (DoD) technology standards, commercial partners, can help provide cellular and wireless connectivity to even the most remote facilities.

This is made possible by simplifying site acquisition and collaborating with wireless carriers. Further collaboration across the entire wireless ecosystem delivers more rapid deployment of cellular infrastructure and enables 5G technologies.

Simplify Site Acquisition Challenge: Traditional raw land tower builds on military bases are typically associated with extensive siting requirements and base-specific processes that are financial, time, and resource intensive for all parties. Given the complexity and number of base functional division approvals required—including public works, master planning, cultural, environmental, real estate, airfield operations, network enterprise center, spectrum management, base security, and garrison staff—building infrastructure from the ground up can be a daunting task. Deployment can take years to accomplish, even for those well-versed in the infrastructure space.

Solution: The key to success is to simplify the site acquisition process on base by leveraging base partner relationships, strategic agreements, and contracting relationships with other DoD entities. With the right network partners, you can reduce the network deployment cycle time from years to months.

Meet Coverage Demands Challenge: Whether it is a remote training facility or a major metropolitan base location, ensuring connectivity on military bases requires tower projects to be executed hand-in-hand with carriers. Meeting demands should be a collaborative effort that simultaneously fulfills carrier densification or expansion efforts while ensuring comprehensive coverage for the location.

Solution: To meet rising coverage demands, work with an experienced partner and wireless carrier team that will act as an extension of your workforce—from site acquisition to carrier leasing, construction, and ongoing maintenance. Furthermore, talk candidly with your partner about the wireless rights they bring to the partnership, as well as existing agreements with landowners.

Enabling 5G and Future Technologies Challenge: The 5G defense market is expected to grow from $665 million in 2022 to $2.5 billion in 2027—with analysts projecting the need for faster network speed, reduced communication lag, and the growing adoption of autonomous and connected devices as key growth factors. With thousands of device connections on a given base, connectivity requires pairing together all available technologies to expand network coverage and increase capacity.

Solution: In response, wireless carriers are turning to strategic partners who can help build out and density their networks through multi-tenant wireless infrastructures like towers, small cells, and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). Innovative network operators are essential to help broaden and increase the available capacity of wireless carrier networks to keep up with 5G deployment demands.

Wireless towers, DAS, and small cells are all key parts of creating fully connected 5G military bases. Think robotics, wearable tech, training simulations, and virtual reality. These networks should be built scalable for 5G ambitions and interoperable with existing infrastructure. Connectivity on today’s military bases is crucial. With simplified site acquisition, expanded cellular coverage, and 5G technology, tower builds can help efficiently, and effectively bridge the digital divide in remote areas and ensure our service members stay connected to what matters most.

Jackie Arbour is the VP of Towers & Small Cells at Boingo Wireless. She can be reached at jarbour@boingo.com.