The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) said the newly finalized American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) A10.48-2016 standard is the first standard to encompass the entire tower construction, service and maintenance industry.
That standard – entitled "Criteria for Safety Practices with the Construction, Demolition, Modification and Maintenance of Communications Structures" – is designed to establish minimum criteria for safe work practices and training for personnel working on antenna and antenna-supporting structures, broadcast and other similar structures supporting communication-related equipment, according to NATE.
The standard addresses categories including pre-job planning, job site conditions, fall protection, rigging, climbing facilities, demolition and others.
“The final version of the A10.48 Standard is a by-product of over six years of hard work and diligence by a group of dedicated organizations and subject matter experts,” said NATE A10.48 Subcommittee member Don Doty, regulatory compliance advisor at FDH – Velocitel, in a statement. “The release of the A10.48 Standard is one of the most significant developments to have occurred in my 43 years working in the industry.”
“The A10.48 Standard will provide the ultimate road map for companies and workers to adhere to in order to raise the bar on safety and quality in the industry,” said NATE A10.48 Subcommittee member Kathy Stieler from ERI Installations, in a statement. “This transformative standard will fill a huge void that currently exists right now in the industry.”
Within the coming weeks, representatives from NATE, ASSE and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) will be providing more information and educational opportunities for the new standard. NATE said it will soon provide information on how to purchase the A10.48 Standard once it’s published.
For more:
- visit NATE’s website
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