Tower Contractor VP: Fleet Safety Begins Before You Hit the Jobsite
According to Safety+Health Magazine, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association has released a new video featuring Cameron Swanson, vice president of operations at Ontivity, offering fleet and driving safety guidance for communication tower workers. The advice applies equally to any subcontractor whose crews drive to remote jobsites hauling equipment and trailers.
Complacency Behind the Wheel Is the Real Hazard
Swanson, speaking with host Sean Gilhooley on NATE’s Climber Connection series, frames the core risk plainly: experienced workers can let routine lull them into inattention. “Making sure that we stay honed in and don’t allow ourselves to become complacent is critical,” he says.
The guidance covers distracted driving, using a spotter when backing vehicles, reducing speed in work zones, driving defensively, and securing loads. Swanson specifically calls out texting and multitasking while driving, noting that reaction time is especially important when hauling a trailer. He also offers a practical tip on following distance: add extra buffer behind drivers with out-of-state plates, since they may be less familiar with local roads.
On the use of spotters when backing in at a jobsite, Swanson is direct: “I understand we have a lot of pros when it comes to backing a trailer, but thinking that you’re a pro and trying to tackle something thinking that you’re doing good can oftentimes lead to disaster. Set your ego aside. Ask for some help.”
Gilhooley closes the video with a line that captures the broader message: “The most important job isn’t climbing a tower; it’s getting home.”
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Fleet safety policies need to start at truck ignition, not at the work zone perimeter. Pre-drive checklists and no-phone rules for the full commute should be standard.
- Spotter requirements for backing should be written into your site procedures and enforced regardless of a worker’s experience level. Ego-driven shortcuts are a documented path to incidents.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration load securement regulations apply to any crew hauling equipment. All drivers operating vehicles subject to FMCSA rules should be trained and current on those requirements.
- Consider adding a following-distance policy that accounts for unfamiliar drivers, especially on rural roads leading to remote sites where out-of-state crews are common.
