[yupper32]

> I recall something I read about people who work in high places like antenna towers would often rather do away with the harness if safety regulations allowed as they find it tedious to be unhooking and rehooking every few steps up the ladder.

As a rock climber I find this comment absurd if true. Unless the number is extremely small.

I also find rigging a multi-pitch anchor and keeping ropes untangled tedious. But guess what: that keeps me alive! Sure there are some who climb without ropes, but that's an extremely small number of people.

[jcims]

You're climbing on tricky terrain for the fun and challenge of it. They are climbing a large ladder because there isn't an elevator. My brother used to climb poles for his job (may still from time to time). He wouldn't strap his belt round the pole until he got to the top and needed to free up his hands.

[gcheong]

Life is full of absurdities apparently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO6YiImtMXM

[Pxtl]

... that is impressively hostile design. I would think the ladders would be have a cable alongside so a climber could attach a hitch or a ratchet wheel or something that wouldn't need to be re-hooked every rung but would still brake in the event of fall.