NATE Takes Hazard Recognition to New Heights

WATERTOWN, S.D., Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Tower Erectors' (NATE) Tower Site Hazard Recognition Guide now highlights major hazards and violations such as "Top 10 Violations for 2010 by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)" and section overviews for quick reference. The updated Guide allows tower site personnel, tower climbers, carriers, broadcasters and tower owner/operators to recognize and effectively address hazardous situations. The guide is accessible online for free.  

Launched last year during NATE's 2010 annual conference and exposition, the Guide's updates also contain an overview at the end of each section providing visitors with access to a summary and key take-aways for quick and future reference. One helpful feature of the Guide includes a new list of 10 items that should be recognized as safety "red flags" for anyone working on a tower site.

Among those hazards are:

• "Failure to follow established practices for personnel hoisting"
• "Failure to follow fall protection safety practices" and
• "Failure to recognize and address potential electrical hazards on-site"

"The updated Guide reflects NATE's continued commitment to reach out to tower erectors, tower owner/operators, carriers, broadcasters, general contractors and everyone else who is involved in the tower industry," said Patrick Howey, Executive Director of NATE. "Creating a culture of safety requires that everyone understand the hazards and utilize appropriate authority to ensure the only acceptable way to conduct work on a tower site is to do it safely."

NATE will showcase the updated Hazard Recognition Guide at NATE 2011, its annual trade show being held in Oklahoma City, February 21-24.  Attendees will have access to Guide demos at the launch of NATE's new safety program, the NATE STAR Initiative.

The Guide is free for everyone in the industry, both NATE members and non-members. For further information about the updated Hazard Recognition Guide, NATE or other tower-safety resources, please visit www.hazardrecognition.com or www.natehome.com.

About The National Association of Tower Erectors

The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) is a non-profit trade association providing a unified voice for tower erection, service and maintenance companies. NATE is headquartered in Watertown, S.D. with a dedicated staff of professional administrators. As a member driven association, NATE is governed by its Board of Directors with additional volunteer leadership provided through its committees. These individuals come from all types and sizes of NATE Member companies. Today the Association boasts over 550 member companies located throughout the United States, Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden and Trinidad and continues to grow. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.

SOURCE National Association of Tower Erectors