Episode Details

Daniel wants to know who climbs broadcast masts, transmission towers, and cathedral pinnacles for a living — so we went and found out. Steeplejacks rope-access the four pinnacles of Lincoln Cathedral at 271 feet to test lightning protection that gets a full inspection once every ten years. Helicopter linemen at Salt River Project and WAPA bond directly to live 500 kV conductors, training five to seven years for the privilege of being the cargo. And roughly ten thousand tower climbers in the US install antennas under a subcontracting chain where the median OSHA fine after a fatal accident was $3,750. The height turns out to be the least interesting part. The real work is rigging judgment, weather reading, situational awareness, and trusting the person who packed the gear. Episode #796217 — open it directly at myweirdprompts.com/796217