Video: Little regulation for most dangerous job

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It's a job with an office at the top of the world.

The work of people who repair communications towers keeps those of us at ground level connected.

In the ultra-competitive wireless world, each network is pushing to deliver the clearest, fastest, most reliable service. And that means going to great heights for the people who build and upgrade the towers that make that wireless possible.

But there's a price for the high-tech convenience, and it's being paid in human lives. In the past few months, two Washington state telecommunications workers have died in falls.

Jeremy Combs, a husband and father of two from Pierce County, and Gary Sivey, an east Wenatchee college student, whose young wife feels robbed of their future together.

“He was a very kind, fun-loving guy,” said Alisha Sivey. “I keep asking myself why? I feel lost. I don't know what to do.”

With a dozen deaths this year, the small community of tower climbers has, per capita, the most dangerous job in America.

Many of the deaths occurred at cellular sites, an intensely competitive side of the communication industry.

John Breckenridge owns Seacomm Erectors near Monroe, which works mostly on large TV and radio towers across the country.

He steered his business away from cell tower contracts, which he says are high on pressure from cell companies, low on experience from competing bidders.

“Inexperienced people, pushed too hard,” he said. “It was just crazy. They wanted us to do so many, so fast, for so cheap.”

“They slam 40 sites on you and want them done in two months. If you don't get done you don't get paid.”

To save money, cell companies often place equipment on water tanks or roof tops, which may be more awkward or unsafe to climb than a tower.

Both men who died in Washington fell from roof-top sites.

As the death count rises, we found a surprising lack of state and federal oversight in this hazardous industry, and few on-site inspections.

KING

Gary Sivey, seen here with wife Alisha, died in October.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, ignored its own advisory panel's recommendation in 2000 to develop new laws to stem the "...rapidly escalating work/injury/fatality rate... in this booming industry."

Steve Cant from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries says OSHA hasn't done very well regulating the fast-changing industry.

Our state's top workplace safety regulator faults the feds, but also admits Washington State's telecommunication laws are way behind the times. They were written before even presidents had cell phones, in 1975, 20 years before the explosion of wireless networks.

Cant says the laws are outated.

"Not having had any fatalities, this wasn't really on our list as a high priority," he said.

This year's deaths are believed to be the first in our state. A dozen workers have died nationwide.

Old laws here mean that telecommunications workers can take risks that those in other closely regulated industries can't.

For example, when a construction worker climbs past 25 feet, the law requires fall protection, like a safety harness. But a telecommunication worker can keep on climbing, unprotected, as high as he wants. The sky's the limit.

Critics of more regulation point out that most deaths wouldn't have happened if workers simply wore safety harnesses all the time.

KING

Jeremy Combs fell to his death from a cell phone tower in Port Angeles.

Jeremy Combs wasn't wearing one, and investigators say he may have been drinking just before he fell.

Gary Sivey wasn't harnessed either, but his widow has no idea why he was at the base of the tower assisting another worker. She says he worked in tech support, answering phones for an Ellensburg wireless company.

"It just angers me to know they put my husband's life in danger,” said Alisha Sivey.

Cascade One Wireless of Ellensburg did not respond to our questions about Gary Sivey's death.

MORE:

Since we began our investigation, the state has announced major changes in how it regulates this dangerous industry.

Watch our continuing investigation Tuesday at 5 p.m. on KING 5 News.