Why become a rigger?

Why become a rigger?*

(*A person who climbs high structures, and installs and removes communications equipment all year round in all weathers)
Steve Lewis, a training consultant with XI Training explains …

Who on earth in their right mind would want a second career like this? Well, working in communications I have come across quite a few people who not only do this for a living but also thoroughly enjoy it as well.

Early on, I was on a site in west Cumbria, assisting with a site survey. The tower was 200 feet high, and all aspects of it - top to bottom - had to be recorded in detail. Although I am not afraid of heights I do have a healthy respect for them - this stops me making silly mistakes.

When this is under control it provides the reason why many people work at height - the buzz is exhilarating. On a lovely day climbing up an open structure making measurements and taking photos I felt a happy sense of elation. At that time I could imagine no happier working environment.

As we neared the top, I turned to my partner and saw he had a big grin on his face. Asking him what was funny, he replied, 'Nothing. Just look at that view.' I looked around having been completely focused on the job. The sky was clear deep blue over the nearby Cumbria hills. In the other direction the sun was well on its way to setting out to sea, turning the clouds pink. I had to agree. It certainly beat working in an office.

Working on towers and high structures has in some ways been a natural progression for me. I have been hanging out of trees since I can remember. This led to recreational climbing in adult life, and buying equipment fulfilled a need for 'bright shiny toys' to play with at weekends. In communications rigging there is a mountain of personal protective and lifting equipment necessary, and the good news is that it should all be provided by the employer.

The mainstay of my work is training, so I try to put across the best aspects of this work. Another big attraction is the potential for travel. Having successfully completed our standard rigger-training course, one of our trainees is now working in Thailand. He provides photographic evidence that there is a line of sight between two locations so that a radio link can be put in. He is paid very well - well enough, anyway, to commute back to the UK on a regular basis.

He has also worked in North and South America, and future jobs could include Malaysia and China. (He declined Colombia when told he would need a bodyguard.) He comments that, 'It's great. I saw a fair bit of the world in the Forces, but now I can really enjoy myself. I really like getting the specifications, and just getting on with it with no one breathing down my neck. If I get bored or bothered I just move on to other work. There's enough out there if you look.'

Finding their own work can, however, be a stumbling block for many new riggers because the start is the time when they prove themselves and break into the market. However, the work does flow for people who chase the opportunities and develop their network of contacts.

Another ex-trainee likes the technical aspects of the job. After a sports injury he finds the physical aspects of the job hard work, so has devoted a great deal of time to learning the sought-after skill of system commissioning - connecting the equipment to its operating software and making it work. (Some time as a rigger is required before taking on this role.)

He says, 'I miss the climbing, but the work pays well. The best part is working with up-to-date systems, constantly having to be aware that if I don't do my job properly it costs money.'

His work is only possible through effective teams to install the systems without damaging fragile components. This teamwork is the strongest reason why some people stay working together. They click; they have the same outlook and even the same sense of humour. For example, discussing the finer points of The Life of Brian whilst on top of a tower … it can make the boring bits that all jobs have pass much more easily.

As well as everything else, there is a certain machismo attached to being a rigger. It does not elicit the same reaction as someone saying they work in an office - the response is more often than not: 'That sounds exciting.' And, for a lot of people, it is.

Who on earth in their right mind would want a second career like this?On a lovely day climbing up an open structure, I could imagine no happier working environmentThere is a certain machismo attached to being a rigger