Quite a few on here have mentioned a fear of heights. Here's a good tale of heebie-jeebies to make your sphincter wink nervously at the thought of losing your shit, lol: )
I recall training a mate of mine up, Kev from Sunderland about 4 years ago. He had a background of fibre optics working on offshore wind farms, and basic working at height experience.
We got sent to South Wales to put a 4G rig up on a bog standard 15m lattice tower, and I thought I'd see how much bottle Kev had for working at height as he'd be working at height almost daily in all weathers, and a lot higher than 15 metres!
He climbed the tower no problem and was very eager to learn the basics. The basics took me a lot longer to learn as I had to just 'get on with it' half of the time when I started out, without anyone to mentor me closely and instill health and safety safe working practice .
I said to Kev to attach his snaplock hook lanyard about 3ft above him as in the event of a slip/fall this will prevent from almost certain death, even though one could sustain injury until the lanyard took hold whilst tripping/falling. He clipped on no problem, seemed quite plucky and up for learning the basic do's and don'ts of tower work, masts and rooftops, but not live 440kv pylons as I have experience working on. you need 3 extra National Grid certs to work on live pylons that are strictly supervised by nat grid at all times.
It's all about safe working practice and I have done many health and safety courses and tower rescue with first aid at height. In order to get in a safe working position to be able to work safely and receive and land cellsite hardware on a rope and pulley it's crucial to work as comfortable and safely as possible to avoid back injuries whilst lifting and fixing. We were at the top of the tower and I set the rope and pulley about 4 feet above us. I then put my polestrap around a smooth round profile horizontal galvanised steel bracing at chest height, feet on a corner leg flange plate. This was the best safe working position available.
(Try and picture the scene )
"Right Kev, I want you to wrap your polestrap over the bracing like I have and lean back slowly"...... "Ok mate, no problem".... Little did he know he was about to encounter working at height heebie-jeebies, as he had only put his polestrap over the bracing without wrapping over itself to choke it from slipping as I had ; )
"Ok Kev, nice one mate"....... "Now with one hand press on your pole strap lever and lean back as horizontal as you can"..... "Ok, no problem pal"....... I'm watching his eyes and body language. He looked quite relaxed and definitely game and confident enough, albeit a little nervous and tentative with the juddery motion of his polestrap whilst leaning back without holding on.
"Good work mate, you're soon picking the basics up".... "Now let your polestrap out as far as possible (like me) and put both hands on your helmet and lean back at full stretch as horizontal as you can, and gently sway from left to right"...... "Ok mate"...... Looking a little more hesitant and nervous. He's swaying too and fro quite merrily until his pole strap slipped and he fuckin' shit himself, face ashen white with fear as he frantically tried grabbing hold of the steelwork! His face was a picture : [
"Howay man, worra tha fuck ya do that for like"? (in best mackem accent)
"Well kev, you have soon learnt how not to attach your pole strap mate" (grinning at his expense). I showed him a few more basics and watched him like a hawk every workday for about 3 weeks before I allowed him up the tower unsupervised. He picked up rigging really well but myself and my other workmate Ryan had given him 30 years of our experience between us on the fundamental do's and don'ts in what is a very dangerous industry without due care and attention.
Easy now Kev FFS, don't hang yourself mate; )