Shock-Absorbing Lanyards
A shock-absorbing lanyard connects your harness to an anchor. If you fall, a packed section of webbing tears apart to slow you down gradually instead of stopping you with a jolt that could injure your spine and organs. It’s simple and common, but it needs a lot of clearance.
- Construction
- General Industry
How it works
The energy absorber (the pack near the harness end) holds webbing stitched or woven so it tears out in a controlled way. That keeps the force on your body under OSHA’s limit of 1,800 pounds and limits the extra distance to about 3.5 feet of deceleration. Once it deploys, it’s done.
Types
| Type | Use | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Single-leg, 6-foot | Anchors at or above your D-ring | Needs about 18 to 19 feet of clearance below the anchor |
| Twin-leg (Y-lanyard) | 100% tie-off while moving past obstructions: clip the second leg before unclipping the first | Only park the unused leg where the maker allows; clipping it back to the harness can defeat the absorber |
| Free-fall rated (for foot-level anchors) | Anchors below your D-ring, up to the rated free fall | Needs even more clearance; standard lanyards aren’t rated for this |
| Leading-edge rated | When the lanyard could run over a sharp edge in a fall | Check the edge rating and setback rules |
| Tie-back | Wraps around a beam and hooks back on itself | Only lanyards made for tie-back can be used that way |
Too close to the ground?
If you’re less than about 18 to 20 feet above the next level, a 6-foot shock-absorbing lanyard may let you hit the ground before it stops you. Use a self-retracting lifeline, a shorter connection, fall restraint or a guardrail instead. See Calculating Fall Clearance and Self-Retracting Lifelines.
Inspect before every use
- Energy absorber pack is closed, with no torn stitching or exposed tear webbing
- Fall indicator (if there is one) hasn’t been deployed
- Webbing has no cuts, burns, frays, paint, chemicals or hardened spots
- Hooks and carabiners lock, close fully and aren’t bent, cracked or corroded
- Labels are present and readable
Remove it from service after any fall, even if it looks fine. Also take it out of service if the pack is opened, damaged or the label is missing. A competent person decides; when in doubt, throw it out.
Common mistakes
- Tying a knot in the lanyard to shorten it (knots can cut strength in half)
- Wrapping it around a beam and hooking back on itself, unless it’s a tie-back lanyard
- Hooking two lanyards together to reach farther
- Anchoring at your feet with a standard lanyard
- Letting it drag over sharp edges or hot surfaces
- Connecting the absorber end to the anchor (it goes at your back D-ring unless the maker says otherwise)
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.502(d): Personal fall arrest systems
- 29 CFR 1910.140: Personal fall protection systems (general industry)
- See also: Personal Fall Arrest Systems · Snap Hooks & Connectors
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