TRADE NEWS RELEASE
Monday, April 8, 2002
Contact: Frank Meilinger
Phone: (202) 693-1999
OSHA REMOVES HOISTING RESTRICTIONS
FOR COMMUNICATION TOWER WORKERS
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the publication of a revised compliance directive for communication tower construction that removes the restriction on raising employees on the hoist line to workstations below 200 feet. All other policies and procedures of the directive remain unchanged.
"This change allows tower workers to be lifted on the hoist line to work stations, regardless of the elevation," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw, "and maintains appropriate safety measures for safe access to communications towers during construction."
The revised compliance directive, "Interim Inspection Procedures During Communication Tower Construction Activities," applies only to the construction of new communications towers. Activities such as maintenance, retrofitting, and dismantling will be addressed in a future directive.
The change applies only to federal programs and does not require State adoption. However, states have up to 60 days to provide notification of whether they intend to adopt the new guidelines.
The compliance directive is available on the OSHA web site at www.osha.gov.
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This news release text is on the Internet World Wide Web at http://www.osha.gov. Information on this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999.
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