Preventing a Workplace Injury for Communication Tower Workers

As cell phone technology improved, and the demand for them increased, so did the need for communication towers to expand and maintain the continuity of service around the country and here in Louisiana. This formerly specialized industry has grown exponentially in the last 30 years. Along with that growth, the possibility for a workplace injury has also dramatically increased.
Communication towers can reach heights of more than 1,000 to 2,000 feet. This means that the workers who erect and maintain them are often working at heights of 100 feet or more. This puts the risk of falling from those heights at the front of the line for the cause of injuries. However, other hazards exist as well.
These employees are required to work in inclement weather, which has its own hazards and also makes a tower’s surface even more treacherous to climb. Electrical hazards, equipment failure and the possibility of the tower collapsing also put workers at risk. It is also necessary to hoist equipment and parts up the tower, and if they are not properly secured, those objects could fall and cause injury to unsuspecting workers below.
If you work in this industry and suffer a workplace injury, or you lost a family member in an on-the-job accident, your financial situation could be adversely affected. The Louisiana workers’ compensation system provides benefits to injured workers for medical treatment and other expenses related to your recovery. Different benefits are available, depending on the severity of your injury. If you are a surviving family member of a worker who died, benefits may be available to you as well. An attorney can review your situation and help you pursue all of the benefits to which you may be entitled.