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This thing is rare around here because of the safety of most crews. There was no mention of the tower crew that was responsible for the safety of the workers which is odd, just the station that contracted them.
The crews are required to have insurance with a minimum liability policy. They are the ones OSHA will hang, not the station. Unfortunately for the victims families the company that employed them will not be responsible for much unless they sue due to our Laws here. Gross negligence might mitigate the amount if it was responsible.The workers are supposed to be tied off to a safety line at all times.
Last death was a single worker north of Evansville, alone on a monopole. The deaths in Dallas of 5 people involved a partial tower collapse. This one is still up. A lot of deaths involve rigging of something going up improperly. I have knots in my stomach when I am on the ground and involved in any antenna installation.
A few years ago we almost lost 2 guys in Rushville at the WIFE tower. Low bidder, Low bidder's sub contractor, 3 guys in a rusted out pickup truck. They tied the winch to the bed of the truck through holes where it had rusted out. As I asked about the knowledge of the operator as there had been a death in SC before when the operator couldn't control the brake on the winch the 'foreman" went off on me in front of the staff and GM. He knew what he was doing and my questioning him was uncalled for, an insult (fightin' words), and the liquor on his breath led me to drop the matter. The obvious "I had to question this because it looks like an accident waiting to happen" was never addressed. I let the GM watch the clowns the next day.
I got a call and the GM recalled the conversation. I asked what happened. The winch was good enough to haul the single bay up the tower. A guy got on and rode up with it. It even handled that. (OSHA?) At 450 feet another guy jumped on and the two on the antenna realized they were going to die shortly thereafter. The winch, the weight, and gravity caused a quick drop and the brake wouldn't stop it. At 250 feet they decided that using the rototiller antenna as a batman like device to stop their decent was a wise idea. At least one had broken ribs.
Next day the winch, cut loose form the truck, most of the tools, and belts were on the ground and the low bidder refused to pay for the antenna that was destroyed and the station was off the air. People at the station thought this was really bad.
The people in Lafayette feel even worse. I pray for their families.
Foreman and workers. I doubt this is the case with an ERI crew. I really hope this isn't an ERI crew and hope someone is wrong.
Let me say this. ERI has the best crews of any company in the business. I lived in Evansville not far from their famous test field in Chandler. Their main office in downtown (former) was something I drove by often. Tom Silliman would show anyone the panel he was building for the Empire State building.
Of all the crews to use ERI isn't the cheapest. The reason: they don't mess up. They hardly ever use outside vendors or subs for their work. The two dead men will be men I know if this is an ERI crew. This is the first death in any of their crews if this is an ERI crew. If they are from Texas I have to question it being an ERI crew. They have through the years had both tower and antenna sections of the company. Until it is all out I still have to wonder if it is an ERI crew.
Tom Silliman is the most down to earth and respected guy I know. I will follow this closely.
I'll keep an ear to the ground in Evansville... I was just talking to a friend about how good of a company ERI is to work for. Hopefully this tragedy won't turn him off of it.
I had a tower crew several years ago in south Georgia similar to your experience, Chief. When I smelled the alcohol on his breath, I dismissed him AND his crew. Told him to pack his crap and his men and get the hell off of my property. I called the contractor and told him that if this is the best he could send me, I would not be using his services anymore....and I didn't.
I have watched all the reports and heard the 2 men were from Mesquite and Laredo Texas. At one time ERI was only doing antenna work after the towers were built. This was after Ray Ryan at ERI. The news reports said the 2 men were connected to a safety line and that they were raising up something to raise another tower section(a gin pole probably) and it fell. There is no indication there was an alcohol issue with the crew.
We had a crew at WIKY that showed up loaded. Crew chief had 29 dui's he used to speak of. Fairly big company. In the 1980's this was common and about all you could get. If they were sober when they showed and waited until after to get drunk it seemed to be okay fro most owners. Most of the crews were biker gangs or relatives.
A man and his lady showed up to relamp the WIBC tower on Post road and both were loaded. He did the job. Not my choice.
After several accidents related to bad choices the insurance industry made this less possible. As noted though it still happens.
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