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05/01/2006
Safety & Education Committee Update
The clouds were dark but I wasn’t worried -- after all, I had not heard any thunder or seen a glimpse of any lightning since before the clouds mischievously started rolling in two hours ago. The guys on my team were all in agreement; finish the top today for bragging rights later that night.
We had three crews out there in Stillwater, Oklahoma and we were all very competitive. Each night after work, we met at the bar to boast and brag about our accomplishments or simply talk about the day. My team holds the current record for stacking out a guy tower the fastest, and with the success we’ve had with this self supporting tower (SST), we were about to claim that record as well.
All I had left to do was to bring up the last three legs to top out the 350’ SST. The guys on the ground, or “ground dogs” as we tower monkeys call them, are good, the best riggers I’ve had in a long time. Every section they sent us was straight and flying level, with the tags always in the appropriate place to guide the steel in position. Because of the remote location we were not able to bring in a crane, so we had to stick build this 350’ SST. With our gin pole on the inside leg of the tower, boomed down past the face, we started picking the last three legs with the diagonals bolted to the gussets and tied up with short ropes. This allowed us to spud the section and make the four quick flange bolts, complements of the bolt bag attached to the gusset, and easily untie the diagonals and drop them to Bob waiting on the opposite leg.
All was proceeding as planned as the clouds crept in closer. As I looked up toward the heavy concentration of blue-green clouds collecting above our head, I reached for a leg and felt a sting. Reeling back my hand, I looked at Bob and I could tell that the same had happened to him. We both knew the sting, and what was happening. Static electricity was building from the ground up and we were getting hit with mini lightning strikes. I raised my voice over the wind and directed Bob to head down as I finished bolting the diagonals on the last face of the tower section.
There is something bred into a tower climber that drives them to push the envelope, and this was one of those times. I was thinking to myself, it’s only three more bolts; eager to grab the glory I continued to finish the structure. Every placement of my hand was being answered with a shock that would make an electrician cringe. I was having trouble holding on to the steel as the wind kicked up another 15 MPH. On the radio, I heard Bob shouting for me to get down. I looked down and noticed that he was pointing out towards the south. As I looked at the horizon, I saw the reason for his concern; a twister was winding its way toward us with only a quarter mile to go. I spun that last nut, untied and looked around for the quickest path to the inside of the tower. Hands still being stung, I quickly grabbed for the headache ball and clipped off to it. Swinging from the ball, now free of the pain caused by the static charge, I moved my safety over to the rope in the middle of the tower. Two whoops, and I was headed down.
Once on the ground we jumped in- to our trucks and headed out of the gate. As we came to the freeway we noticed an overpass off to our right. Remembering a story of a group of people saved by tucking themselves underneath an overpass for safety, we decided it was our best option as well. After all, we did not know anything about tornados. We were lucky; the tornado missed us and the site. None of us were prepared, or knew how to react or what to expect from a tornado. Had we been hit by the tornado under the overpass, we could have easily been sucked out from our potential safety.
As we move through Spring and closer to Summer, I thought it would be a good idea to bring you up to date on the safety precautions for bad weather. Because I personally spent a great deal of time in the Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas corridor, I’m going to highlight tornados. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma has a few tips that I would like to share with you, but keep in mind that there is no such thing as guaranteed safety from a tornado. Freak accidents happen, and the most violent tornadoes can level or blow away almost any tower, structure and its occupants. Extremely violent F5 tornadoes are very rare. Most tornadoes are actually much weaker and can be survived using these safety ideas.
What to Do
In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or work bench), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you.
In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against falling debris in case the roof and ceiling fail.
In an office building, hospital, nursing home or skyscraper: Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.
In a mobile home: Get out! Even if your home is tied down, you are probably safer outside, even if the only alternative is to seek shelter out in the open. Most tornados can destroy even tied-down mobile homes; and it is best not to play the low odds that yours will make it. If your community has a tornado shelter, go there fast. If there is a sturdy permanent building within easy running distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise, lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.
In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely dangerous in a tornado. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Otherwise, park the car as quickly and safely as possible -- out of the traffic lanes. It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash. Get out and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges or overpasses which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.
In the open outdoors: If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can; they may be blown onto you in a tornado. Most of all, be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on the sky. There is no way to beat Mother Nature so heed the signs and play it safe.
Dale Heath is a member of the NATE Safety & Education Committee and is
a Product Line Manager for Andrew Corporation in Euless, Texas. He can
be reached at 817-864-4166 or dale.heath@andrew.com.
Dale Heath
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