Double Lanyard Safety

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in conjunction with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), reports 540 deaths per year in the period from 1980 to 1994. These numbers include workers from all types of industries. Incidents range from falls from a ladder while changing a light bulb to falls from great heights above the ground such as from a communications tower. Employers are responsible for putting safety measures into place. Safety lanyards help prevent fall injuries and deaths.

Double Lanyard Safety System

• A double lanyard is part of a fall arrest system. The system consists of a safety harness that the worker wears. In the double lanyard system, two lanyards (safety lines) are hooked, separately, to the worker. A series of hooks, reinforced eyelets, anchors, and safety release latches are also used.

  In a double lanyard one lanyard (safety line) will contain a shock absorber located toward the base of the free end of the safety line. The end of the line is threaded through a three-bar slide, then connected to the safety line. The bar slide gives enough resistance to a quickly sliding line so the worker is not plunging at a high rate of speed in case of a fall.

  Both lanyards are anchored securely to a solid object that can withstand weight that is calculated by the distance a worker might fall and the weight of the worker with all his attached equipment.

Regulations

• Standards are set forth by OSHA and other regulatory agencies to protect workers from being injured in case of falling from a dangerous height on the job.

  Any worker who is at risk of falling more than 6 feet must wear protection that is rigged to stop the fall and to prevent injury during or at the impact of the fall. The maximum arresting force on the worker is limited, as well as the speed of the fall.

  The double lanyard system, when attached and operated properly, meets these standards in that it provides two separate safety lines. If one line should fail, the worker has the protection of the second lanyard.

Before Use

• Workers should never work on a job or with equipment for which they have not been trained.

  Inspect the entire length and circumference of both lines in the double lanyard system. Watch for splices, cuts and signs of wearing. Check the snaps, hook and eyes and the shock absorber attachments.

Safe Use

• Hook up correctly into the double lanyard system. Check for obstacles in the line of a potential fall. Anchor hooks to a point which will cause the least distance of free-fall. Confirm that all hooks are securely latched.

  Use the double lanyard system for only one person, and only use it for purposes for which the system was designed

Watcher

• Make sure a competently trained person is on the site. This person acts as a "watcher" and must be prepared to act quickly if the worker falls and needs to be rescued and released from the double lanyard system.