Experts consistently point to the importance of proper fall protection for workers in dangerous professions. A fall arrest system such as a shock absorbing lanyard is a necessary investment for those who regularly reach a working height of six feet or more.
Protection Systems
There are a variety of different suspension belts, harnesses, lanyards, and deceleration devices used to protect workers at lower heights where the risk of a potentially fatal fall is lessened. Most of these are used only for positioning and restraint, and would not help a worker should they fall from a very steep height.
The most reliable device appears to be one that absorbs shock and restrains the worker, thus reducing the length of their fall. OSHA suggests a shock absorbing lanyard, which has been proven to arrest greatly a fall and keep a worker safe when a height of six feet or more has been reached. Shock absorbers offer the best fall protection when combined with a full-body harness.
Positioning and Suspension
A full-body harness allows the worker to position themselves to prepare for hands-free work, but it is not enough to prevent or arrest a fall, when used alone. A harness is specifically designed to hold a person in place while they work. On the other hand, a harness with the inclusion of a shock absorbing lanyard can distribute forces throughout the body as well as decrease the arresting forces that lead to a very dangerous fall.
The suspension is also necessary at times when workers need to lower themselves and continue to work hands-free. These suspension tools, however, are also not enough to protect a worker from a free fall. They are not designed to arrest a fall, only to allow for small, controlled drops.
How Do They Work?
To ensure that a shock absorbing lanyard is capable of reaching its maximum arresting force, and thus potentially saving a free falling worker’s life, its design and construction must be very thorough. Lanyards of this type are made out of webbing, rope, or (ideally) stainless steel, and are very short in length.
Lanyards are designed to allow a worker to stretch comfortably but also be kept safe in the case of a free fall. For this reason, the lanyard retracts and relaxes, so it stays out of the worker’s way. Under tension, the lanyard’s elasticized webbing allows it to grow to its full length.
A shock absorbing lanyard should be used every single time a worker is doing a potentially dangerous job at a working height of six feet or more. They are simple tools that can connect to harnesses and prevent tragedy from occurring.
