When I was building tall towers that was the only way to do it. My bet is they were not attached to it though. Those don't collapse because the wind blows. They obviously must have exceeded the load limits. Maybe they didn't add in the additional load the wind adds. I'll bet the investigation will tell. Anyway, when you are up there, that gin pole is hooked into the base of the tower section you are working at the top of. It is typically chain boomed to the top of that same section. That gives you the ability to have the head room above the tower to do jobs like these. There is no other way to do it. When everyone is paying attention it is safe. I can't ever recall even having the slightest mishap using one.
Having said all of that, I never tried to hang a 10,000 pound broadcast TV antenna either. Really I don't what the weigh but I do know they are very heavy and have a really large wind load. Having been on towers where some things did go wrong I can empathize with those guys on the tower. Hearing the pulley strain under the weight, the gin pole groan as it started to collapse. The all the sudden the whole things starts to crumble down in slow motion as you and everything around you crashes downward in a hell that might last a 30 seconds but seems like it goes on forever. Bummer man. On Wed, Sep 27, 2017 at 11:15 PM Jaime Solorza <[email protected]> wrote: > They are huge and scary looking..World's Toughest Jobs show had episode on > tall tower construction with these gin poles...impressive but I will not > work on them...my Superman days are long gone > > On Sep 27, 2017 10:11 PM, "Jeremy" <[email protected]> wrote: > > I haven't ever seen them. > > On Wed, Sep 27, 2017 at 8:44 PM, Jaime Solorza <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Have you seen those gin poles used on large towers? I have turned down >> high paying gigs on crews like these. Cranes near guyed towers...not my >> cup of Tecate. >> >> On Sep 27, 2017 8:26 PM, "Jeremy" <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> They were "attached to the gin pole, when it collapsed and they fell". >>> Who in the hell ties off to a gin pole? >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 27, 2017 at 8:18 PM, Jaime Solorza < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> We were working in Cedar Hills, Texas when this same company lost three >>>> tower guys near Joe Poole Lake where all those monster towers are that >>>> serve DFW area...sad... >>>> >>>> On Sep 27, 2017 3:13 PM, "Wireless Administrator" <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Ouch ….. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> http://wsvn.com/news/local/3-dead-after-falling-from-television-tower-in-miami-gardens/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Steve B. >>>>> >>>> >>> > >
