Some are compact and are worn in lieu of an Energy-Absorbing Lanyard and have a working length of perhaps six to ten feet. Self-retracting lanyards, or SRL’s, come in a variety of types and styles. The Alternative: Self-Retracting Lifelines That means the available fall clearance is changing all the time, and you may not always have the 18 feet you need. It's also important to consider that you might move around the worksite throughout the day. But if you need to move beyond that radius, you will need to connect to a new anchor point. That might be enough for smaller workspaces. With fixed anchor points, you will only have a radius of 6 feet to conduct your work while attached. Using a lanyard can also restrict your movement. That means your 6-foot lanyard could potentially need 18 feet of clearance below the anchor for safe use. Also included is the 2-foot OSHA safety margin and an average of 6 feet for worker height. On top of the 6-foot lanyard length, you have to add 3.5 feet for deceleration as well. One of the most significant drawbacks is the amount of fall clearance you need. Do Energy Absorbing Lanyards Have Limitations? Longer length SRL's might not be the best choice in an application such as this, as they do not limit the user's ability to approach a potential fall hazard. Restraint applications like this take the entire working length of the device into account when determining which equipment is more appropriate. Equipment used in these areas is rigged to prevent the worker from reaching a potential fall hazard. This makes them attractive to employers who need to keep their workers safe on a budget.Įnergy Absorbing Lanyards can also be ideal for smaller workspaces. They are significantly cheaper than alternative devices. The main benefit of fall protection lanyards is cost. It's not uncommon for the energy absorber to extend an additional 3-4 feet before it finally arrests the fall. If a worker is wearing a 6-foot lanyard, they could (depending on how close they are to the anchorage point) free fall the entire 6-foot length (or more) before the energy absorber engages. During a fall, the energy absorber simply extends until it reaches it's limit. Those without shock absorbers must only be used for restraint or positioning.Įnergy Absorbing Lanyards are easy to use. Energy Absorbing Lanyards have either internal or external shock-absorbing functionality. Composed of webbing or cable, they are most commonly built at a length of no more than 6 feet. Knowing that will help you stay safe at any height.Įnergy Absorbing Lanyards are one of the simplest fall arrest devices. In this post, we'll go over the pros and cons of energy absorbing lanyards and SRLs and give you advice about when you should use each. Need better clarification on the difference between fall prevention and fall protection? Read our informative blog " Fall Protection Vs. That's why it's important to make sure you're using the right one every time. It is the critical link in our fall arrest system. If you fall, the deceleration device will bear most of the force. If you fall, using the wrong deceleration device could mean the difference between a close call and a disabling injury – or worse.įalls from height are completely preventable, but only with the right equipment. Work-related falls result in more than 100,000 injuries and death each year. Which one do you use? Which is the right one for the job? You've got two choices: a self retracting lifeline ( SRL) and an energy absorbing lanyard. You get to the worksite, put on your harness, and reach for your fall protection device.
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