In a message dated 98-07-21 04:32:53 EDT, ni6w@yagistress.minden.nv.us writes:
> Thanks for stepping in to offer your professional expertise on this subject!
> We may all argue about how relevant this thread is to "talking towers," but
> it is obvoius (sic) that when we go out during the "building season," we can
> encounter threats beyond the normal "old belt parts & climber falls to
death"
> scenarios!
I agree. Since this thread first surfaced a year or so ago, I've always
carried Adolph's Meat Tenderizer and have even used it a couple of times (it
works!). As a professional tower worker, flying stinging pests are incredibly
distracting and potentially dangerous. Anything that minimizes their effects
is appreciated.
My most memorable encounter was when I climbed 60 feet of BX and came to
eye-level, face-to-face with a wasp nest that totally engulfed the tower just
below the rotator. The danged nest was bigger than a basketball. In that case
I was faster than they were and avoided any bites.
BTW, an old ham buddy of mine (we were novices together) who is a
communications tech for a big utility company grabbed a belt and headed up a
tower. For some unbeknownst reason, the positioning lanyard was leather (which
is not allowed per OSHA rules anymore). You've probably figured out that the
lanyard broke and he fell the distance of the fall arrest lanyard that was
attached to his fall arrest harness. He's got a pinched nerve and was pretty
uncomfortable for a couple of days. The moral of the story is DON'T ever use
leather safety equipment and it really helps to have a fall arrest lanyard
that will decelerate you in case of a fall.
Cheers, Steve K7LXC
http://www.championradio.com
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