During the 1990s, the growing demand for wireless and broadcast communications spurred a dramatic increase in the number of communication towers being erected, maintained and serviced. While the number of employees engaged in the communication tower industry remains small, the fatality rate is very high. Over the past 20 years, this industry has experienced an average fatality rate that greatly exceeds that of the construction industry, for example. In 2013, the industry experienced a dramatic increase in the number of fatalities occurring during communication tower work, with 13 total fatalities. Falls are the leading cause of death in tower work. Fall protection is used either improperly or inconsistently. Several communication towers have recently collapsed while employees worked on structural modifications. Employees are often hoisted to working levels on small base-mounted drum hoists that have been mounted to a truck chassis, and these may not be rated to hoist personnel. Communication tower construction and maintenance activities are not adequately covered by current OSHA fall protection and personnel hoisting standards.