Tower tech’s 150-foot fall in Mississippi is nation’s second 2017 fatality
In Featured News by Wireless Estimator
May 2, 2017
Update: May 3, 2017 – Kris Edward Runyon, 39, has been identified as the tower technician who fell from a Crown Castle guyed tower near Meridian, Miss. yesterday evening and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kris Edward Runyon
A resident of Portsmouth, Ohio, Runyon had been working for D&K Nationwide Communications Inc. of Bristol, Conn. for the past year, but according to the company’s president, Derek Case, Runyon had over 16 years of industry experience.
Case, who was on his way to meet OSHA investigators at the site, informed Wireless Estimator that Runyon is survived by his mother and two sons and one daughter. Wireless Estimator will provide services details when they become available.
Case said that he has been informed by a coworker who was on the tower who did not see Runyon fall that Runyon was just finishing up taking project photographs. An additional crew member was on the ground.
As a subcontractor to turfing contractor MasTec, D&K was performing an AT&T LTE upgrade.
D&K Nationwide Communications Inc. is a small, fairly new organization in the electrical work companies industry located in Bristol, CT. It opened its doors in 2013 and now has an estimated $1.2 million in yearly revenue and 8 employees.
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May 2, 2017 – A tower technician died after falling approximately 150 feet from a cell tower east of Meridian, MS tonight, according to officials. He was with two tower crew members.
Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said that at approximately 6:45 p.m. emergency crews were called to the cell site near Pigford Lake Road in the Meehan community of Lauderdale County in reference to a man who had fallen from the tower.
The man, whose name is not being released pending notification of his next of kin, is believed to be in his 30s or 40s and is believed to be a contractor from out of state, Cobler said.
The fatality was the second industry death within a week.
A coworker on the tower said he saw the man fall, Cobler said.
The 220-foot tall guyed tower is owned by Crown Castle International. Last week a tower tech was killed on another Crown Castle site in Dallas, Tex. when a crane collapsed.
Wireless Estimator will provide additional information as it becomes available.
OSHA is spearheading a planned nationwide stand-down next week to bring attention to fatal falls within the industry. Man who fell from cell tower identified
The man who fell to his death Tuesday while working on a cell tower near Meridian has been identified as Kris Edward Runyon, 39, of Ohio, according to Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler.
Cobler said Runyon was wearing his safety harness and equipment designed to prevent such a fall.
Cobler said the man's co-worker had turned away to work on something and when he turned back, he saw the victim falling. Runyon’s body was sent to Pearl for an autopsy, Cobler said.
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MERIDIAN, MS
A cell-tower worker was killed after falling approximately 150 feet from a cell tower east of Meridian Tuesday night, officials said.
According to Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler, around 6:45 p.m. Metro Ambulance crews were called to the cell site near Pigford Lake Road in the Meehan community of Lauderdale County in reference to a man who had fallen from the tower.
The man, whose name is not being released pending notification of his next of kin, is believed to be in his 30s or 40s and is believed to be a contractor from out of state, Cobler said.
There were two other employees with him when he fell, Cobler said.
All the harnesses and connectors appeared to be intact, officials said. The body will be sent to the state crime lab for autopsy.
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MERIDIAN, MS
A man working on a cell tower on Pigford Lake Road in Meridian fell to his death Tuesday evening, authorities said.
Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said the man, who was between 30 and 40 years old, was wearing his safety harness and equipment designed to prevent such a fall and that none of the equipment had been damaged. The incident happened around 6:45 p.m.
Cobler said the man’s coworker had turned away to work on something and when he turned back, he saw the victim falling. The man’s body was sent to Pearl for an autopsy, Cobler said, adding that The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will likely conduct its own investigation into the safety equipment.
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MERIDIAN, Miss. —
A man working on a cell tower Tuesday fell 228 feet to his death, authorities said.
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Kris Edward Runyon, 39, was working on Pigford Lake Road in Meridian about 7 p.m. when he fell, Lauderdale County coroner Clayton Cobler said.
A coworker said he turned away to work on something and when he turned back, he saw Runyon falling, authorities said.
Runyon was wearing a safety harness and equipment designed to prevent a fall, Cobler said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.
An autopsy has been ordered.
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Industry’s contractors readying for national safety stand-down
Next week’s national safety stand-down, May 8 through May 12, to prevent falls in construction, is an ideal time for contractors and other aligned businesses to take time out to discuss the very real problem in wireless construction of civil workers and tower techs injuring themselves.
And even though the industry has not had any fatalities of a wireless worker falling from an elevated structure in 2017, OSHA Directorate of Construction Dean McKenzie stressed today to Wireless Estimator that this is the time to emphasize the need for 100% fall protection so that complacency doesn’t cause the next death.
“Anyone who wants to prevent falls in the workplace can participate in the stand-down. In past years, participants included commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, sub- and independent contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, the U.S. Military, other government participants, unions, employer’s trade associations, institutes, worker interest organizations, and safety equipment manufacturers,” McKenzie said.
The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) is also encouraging their member companies and all stakeholders in the wireless ecosystem to actively participate in the stand-down.
“The 2017 OSHA National Safety-Stand Down Week is coming at a critical time as the industry prepares for a spike in work due to an increase in both macro and micro deployment activities, the beginning of tower-related work associated with the Broadcast Repack transition and as the FirstNet Public Safety Broadband Network build-out commences. The stand-down provides every employer and employee with a unique opportunity to double-down on a culture of safety at their respective companies,” said NATE Executive Director Todd Schlekeway.
Black & Veatch Telecom Business ESH&S Manager Benjamin Afton said all of his firm’s regional telecommunications offices around the country will be taking part in in a variety of ways, including daily activities aimed at raising awareness of such things as heat illness prevention, jobsite safety plans for fall protection, rooftop safety, and emergency action plans.
“Additionally, safety topics will be presented both to our office staff as well as our field construction workers. Our top leadership will be out visiting regional offices and making stops to active jobsites to show our commitment to worker safety. Safety Week is a great time to push pause and really focus on what we are doing as a company to influence the safety culture of the telecom industry as a whole,” said Afton.
Additional information regarding the national stand-down can be found here.
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D&K Nationwide Communications Inc. of Bristol, Conn.
Owned
and operated by an Honorably Discharged Disabled
American Veteran, D&K is verified as a
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with a strong
diverse management staff with decades of experience in construction
management and telecommunications.
By training and developing the necessary personnel and paying strict attention to detail, cost, quality and safety practices , we are continuously striving to stay ahead of the curve and be recognized as industry experts . Throughout the years, D&K has developed installation, management methods and techniques that continually exceed and out-perform industry timelines and standards.
As technology has developed, our team has aggressively accepted the challenge of today’s demanding clientele. By building an in house management and development workforce and using a hands on approach, we have been able to increase our services to a continually expanding list of customers. Combining experience, technological education with a talented certified staff, we can provide our customers with the highest quality and safest standards while keeping with the highest levels of professionalism and cost effective solutions available.
Engaged in all facets and levels of management and field personnel we are capable of designing complicated DAS distribution systems in addition to planning and managing tower upgrades or builds, as well as managing the day-to-day operational needs, strategies and construction projects of any of today’s technology leaders.
Understanding the needs of our customers today and tomorrow, as well as having the skilled personnel to guide the way, is imperative in controlling costs, building trust, and establishing a valuable long term relationship with each and every client.
Quality personnel, management and installations begin with a smart design and educated management team to execute and monitor you project through all stages. Our in-house focus on these important characteristics allows our customers to depend on a superior staff and service, at a competitive rate.
By training and developing the necessary personnel and paying strict attention to detail, cost, quality and safety practices , we are continuously striving to stay ahead of the curve and be recognized as industry experts . Throughout the years, D&K has developed installation, management methods and techniques that continually exceed and out-perform industry timelines and standards.
As technology has developed, our team has aggressively accepted the challenge of today’s demanding clientele. By building an in house management and development workforce and using a hands on approach, we have been able to increase our services to a continually expanding list of customers. Combining experience, technological education with a talented certified staff, we can provide our customers with the highest quality and safest standards while keeping with the highest levels of professionalism and cost effective solutions available.
Engaged in all facets and levels of management and field personnel we are capable of designing complicated DAS distribution systems in addition to planning and managing tower upgrades or builds, as well as managing the day-to-day operational needs, strategies and construction projects of any of today’s technology leaders.
Understanding the needs of our customers today and tomorrow, as well as having the skilled personnel to guide the way, is imperative in controlling costs, building trust, and establishing a valuable long term relationship with each and every client.
Quality personnel, management and installations begin with a smart design and educated management team to execute and monitor you project through all stages. Our in-house focus on these important characteristics allows our customers to depend on a superior staff and service, at a competitive rate.
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