Tower Climber Job Description
Cell Tower Climbers, Climbing in Snowcats, Traveling with the Wind, The Role of Climbing in the Construction and Maintenance Of Towers and more about tower climber job. Get more data about tower climber job for your career planning.
Cell Tower Climbers
A tower climber is responsible for performing comprehensive installations, inspections, and maintenance of the antenna systems. The climbing component is dangerous, but it's only one part of the puzzle for a professional tower climber. A professional cell tower climber is expected to be well-versed in communications technology.
If a tower climber works for a specific brand, they must know the industry wiring methods for equipment to be hired for that company. Tower climbers with less than a year of experience are often paid $17 per hour. Those with more experience can expect to make $19 per hour.
Climbers of cell tower are required to climb up to 500 feet off the ground. Tower climbers are in high demand as there are so many of them. Their schedules are different, with long hours and long distances traveled to get to the next cell tower.
Cell tower climbers are responsible for keeping the towers in good shape. Every day of the week, technicians can work on towers for hours. Cell tower technicians need the right amount of strength and energy to be confident.
Tower climbers have to carry heavy equipment and tools while they climb, which makes it a very demanding role. Tower climbers are required to have a good knowledge of health and safety. It's a part of the role from the harnesses to the management of the hooks.
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Climbing in Snowcats
You need to learn how to climb a tower. Tower climbers have to climb hundreds of feet up to work, so they need good balance and comfortable heights. Some tower climbers get snowcat operator certification, and most get certification in climbing, safety, and fall protection.
Most employers prefer job seekers with a high school degree or GED certificate. Tower companies often use the title of tower climber and tower technician interchangeably. There are some differences between the job duties of a tower climber and tower technician.
Traveling with the Wind
Flexibility can mean a lot, but are you willing to travel for most of the job? Have you traveled a lot for a previous job? Are you willing to work overtime to get the job done? The life of a climber is very nomadic in nature, so companies will want to see if you already understand this, or if you are willing to adapt to it as necessary.
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The Role of Climbing in the Construction and Maintenance Of Towers
When people hear the term tower climber, they think of thrill seekers, dangling 1,500 feet in the air, and they get a very glamorous image. A good tower climber has many other qualities besides being afraid of heights. Each tower climber must have a wide range of skills.
They will climb up to change a light bulb. They may be required to replace the tower function's integral systems. Sometimes a tower is not operational and no one is sure why.
The climber has to test the systems functions one by one until they find the source. The tower may need to have lines fed, antennae replaced, and a new fuse changed. Someone who can both climb and weld is a specialty within the tower climbing field.
The general public doesn't think about metal towers, but someone has to put them together. Tower climbers are present when towers are constructed, during every step. Good eye-hand coordination is important for more than just the climb.
Tower dawgs see a lot of precise details. Tower climbers get paid fairly well, but they have to pay for some out of pocket expenses. Life insurance in a field known as the most dangerous in the world is not easy or cheap.
Certifications and Qualifications for Tower Climbing Jobs
A tower climber's schedule can be flexible, and they often work long hours. They travel a lot so that they can work on various towers. Tower climbers can expect a higher volume of travel if they work for a national cell phone carrier.
Tower climbers make repairs when tower operations are malfunctioning. Tower climbers still perform their duties even when the weather is bad, because there is often a need for repairs during the most hazardous conditions. Tower climbers work on towers that are not near residential areas.
Tower climbers spend most of their time traveling and climbing the towers, with a minimal amount of time spent in offices or buildings. To be a tower climber, you need to be able to work outside, have a flexible schedule, and be able to work long hours. Tower climbers must have a valid driver's license and pass background checks in most cases.
Most employers look for candidates with at least a high school degree, even though it isn't an official requirement of tower climbers. Employers prefer candidates with a high school degree over those without one. If you are interested in working in electrical components in towers, you might want to get an electrical engineering degree.
Gaining other on-the-job experience before tower climbing can be very helpful. Experience in construction, electrical and maintenance positions can be used. If you've worked as a construction worker, sound technician, janitor television technician, you've gained experience in safety and will be a good help to aspiring tower climbers.
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