Posted on 10/12/2011 10:57:14 PM PDT by buccaneer81
NEWTON (CBS) – A worker fell 1,000 feet to his death from a tower in Newton on Wednesday.
A veteran crew of three men, working for Ultimate Tower Service, was doing routine maintenance work on the tower when one of the men fell.
“The wind, you know, can be a factor, but today’s a pretty calm day, so the whole thing seems very bizarre and tragic,” said Brenda Loew, a neighbor.
Sources told WBZ-TV that the surviving workers were almost too upset to talk to investigators.
WBZ-TV’s Christina Hager reports.
Workers routinely wear safety harnesses to attach themselves to the tower.
The tower, located near Elliot and Needham Streets in Newton, is owned by American Tower and is used by two small TV stations and four local radio stations. American Tower has suspended work at the site.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of one of our contractors. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and co-workers during this difficult time. We are working closely with the relevant authorities and cooperating fully with all inquiries into the cause of this tragic accident,” said American Tower, in a statement.
The tower, at its peak, is 1,347 feet high.
The tower’s contractor and owner have clean safety records that go back at least 10 years.
Research has shown that the part of the brain that regulates fear usually takes until age 25 to finish developing. Makes sense when you think about it. There’s a reason 18 and 19 year olds are so gung-ho in the military, sports and behind the wheel.
That makes absolute sense. It’s a fact of life that the young don’t understand mortality. Twenty-five (at least) sounds about right for common sense to take effect.
I was a radio dj for 25 years and saw one of these guys go to the platform of a 500 foot tower and stand on one foot to impress our receptionist. He lived, she ended up liking him.
Bump
That’s high enough I think I’d go up with a parachute.
Apparently, the worker was from Iowa, as it was on our local news tonight.
Here is a link to another one that was here in Iowa a few years ago; three guys tethered together using a pulley system to hoist themselves...the rope got caught on the tower...and broke. All of them went down, including I believe, the owner of the company who was 57. That story made me sick to my stomach for weeks.
http://www.kcci.com/news/9419016/detail.html
We have a lot of high-wire workers here because of the wind turbines...I can remember at least two others that have fallen in the last few months...one just a couple of weeks ago.
This has been duly noted by insurance actuaries.
I just hope this person passed out (lost consciousness) before the big “hit” below. :-( sad
“Oh, shoot! I forgot my wrench!”
You sure have to have faith in the quality of the welds on those foot pegs.
It would be “fun” to see videos of guys putting this thing together, too.
I used to love heights. I have difficulty looking UP from a high place, but I always loved the view downward. This video you posted had me stressed out. I couldn’t make it to the end.
I can’t imagine the stamina it would take to go up a tower like this alone.
According to a farmer I talked to, the blades get hit by lightning and have to be repaired. The skin is fiberglass and the guy goes up on a rope sling that is stabilized by two others with ropes. It takes two trips. one to do the fiberglassing, another to sand it down after it sets.
Those must be the new "green" jobs.
The nominal altitude for the first jump at Airborne school is (or at least used to be) 1,250 feet. Parachutes are highly recommended at that elevation.
Piece of cake for a skydiver.
No way in hell would I take on that job. Never.
I remember. I grew up three miles from them. As a kid, every time I would go to U-Do-It Electronics or Hojo’s I always pictured one or more of the towers falling over.
I’d do it, but I wouldn’t do it as cavalier as the guy in the video did it, I’d want at least 2 anchors with one connected at all times.. it might take me 12 hours to get to the top, but in that situation I’d do it.
40 years ago I once hung over the edge of the roof of the John Hancock Center.
Recently I couldn’t get myself to go out on the Willis tower “Ledge.”
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