Lanyards
Lanyards keep you and your kit under control when you're working at height, stopping drops, swings, and nasty shocks when something goes wrong.
On scaffolds, MEWPs, roofs, and steelwork, the right safety lanyards make the difference between a controlled arrest and a bad day. Choose by job: fall arrest lanyards with energy absorption, restraint or positioning lanyards for edge work, and tool lanyards to stop spanners and drills becoming missiles.
What Are Lanyards Used For?
- Working on scaffolds, roofs, and MEWPs where fall protection lanyards and height safety lanyards keep you connected to an anchor point and limit what happens if you slip.
- Moving along a structure or scaffold lift using double leg lanyards, twin lanyards, or Y lanyards so you can stay clipped on while transferring between anchor points.
- Edge work and hands-on installs where restraint lanyards and positioning lanyards hold you in the right place without relying on you bracing off awkwardly.
- High level fit-out and maintenance where tool lanyards and tool tether lanyards stop hand tools being dropped onto people, plant, or finished surfaces below.
- General construction safety lanyards use where karabiner lanyards, snap hook lanyards, or swivel hook lanyards give you secure, fast connections that do not twist up every five minutes.
Choosing the Right Lanyards
Sorting the right lanyard is simple: match it to the risk and the movement you need, not what looks tidy on the harness.
1. Fall arrest vs restraint vs positioning
If there is any chance you can actually fall, you are into fall arrest lanyards and you want energy absorbing lanyards or shock absorbing lanyards to reduce the force on your body. If the job is keeping you away from the edge, go restraint lanyards. If you need to work hands-free while supported, look at positioning lanyards, but do not treat them as fall arrest unless they are rated for it.
2. Single leg vs double leg, twin, or Y lanyards
If you are staying on one anchor point, a single leg can be fine. If you are moving along steel, scaffold, or a lifeline route, double leg lanyards or Y lanyards let you transfer connection points without ever being fully unclipped, which is what you want when it is busy below.
3. Rope, webbing, or elasticated
Webbing safety lanyards tend to sit flatter and behave better around edges and snag points. Rope safety lanyards can be tougher in dirty, rough environments but check how they run over edges. Elasticated safety lanyards keep slack under control when you are climbing and moving, but do not buy them just for neatness if the job needs a specific length or adjustability.
4. Hooks, karabiners, and standards
Pick the connector to suit what you are clipping onto all day, because a wrong-size snap hook wastes time and encourages bad clipping habits. For compliance, check the lanyard rating, with EN354 lanyards typically covering restraint and positioning, and EN355 lanyards covering energy absorbers for fall arrest setups.
Lanyards FAQs
What are the three types of lanyards?
On site you will hear them split into restraint lanyards, positioning lanyards, and fall arrest lanyards. Restraint stops you reaching a fall edge, positioning supports you while you work, and fall arrest is designed to catch a fall, usually with an energy absorber to reduce the shock load.
How to tie a tool lanyard?
Do not rely on a random knot around a handle, because it slips and it damages grips. Use a proper tool tether point, captive ring, or rated attachment loop on the tool, then connect the tool lanyard with the correct clip. If the tool has no attachment point, fit a proper tether wrap or tail designed for that tool.
What is the main purpose of a lanyard?
For people, the main purpose is controlling your position and managing fall risk by keeping you connected to a suitable anchor point as part of a working at height system. For tools, the main purpose is preventing dropped objects, keeping anything in your hands from landing on someone below.
When should tools be tethered?
Tether tools any time you are working at height or above other workers, walkways, stairwells, or finished areas, especially when you are on scaffolding, towers, ladders, or MEWPs. If a dropped tool could injure someone or damage plant or finishes, it should be on a tool tether lanyard.
Are EN354 lanyards the same as EN355 lanyards?
No. EN354 covers lanyards used for restraint and positioning setups, while EN355 covers energy absorbers used in fall arrest systems. If there is a fall risk, you need the right fall arrest-rated setup, not just any webbing or rope lanyard with hooks.
Do I need a double leg or Y lanyard for scaffolding?
If you are moving along the scaffold or transferring between anchor points, a double leg, twin, or Y lanyard is the practical choice because it lets you stay clipped on while you move. If you are staying put on one point, a single leg can work, but do not pick it if it encourages you to unclip during transfers.
Who Uses These Lanyards on Site?
- Scaffolders and steel erectors using working at height lanyards and double leg lanyards to stay clipped on during transfers and while building out.
- Roofers and cladders relying on fall arrest lanyards and shock absorbing lanyards when they are exposed on edges, purlins, and fragile areas.
- M&E installers and maintenance teams using restraint or positioning lanyards for hands-free work on platforms, towers, and access routes.
- Site teams and tradesmen using tool lanyards on overhead jobs to stop drops onto walkways, stairwells, and live work areas.
The Basics: Understanding Safety Lanyards
A lanyard is not just a strap with clips. The type and rating decide whether it stops you reaching the edge, holds you in position, or arrests a fall without smashing you up.
1. Restraint and positioning lanyards
Restraint lanyards are set up to physically stop you getting to a fall edge in the first place. Positioning lanyards support you while you work, keeping both hands free, but they must be used as intended and backed up correctly if there is any fall risk.
2. Fall arrest lanyards and energy absorption
Fall arrest lanyards are for when a fall is possible, and energy absorbing lanyards reduce the peak force on your body and anchor by tearing out or deploying under load. That is why EN355 matters, and why you do not mix and match random components.
3. Tool lanyards are a different job
Tool tether lanyards are there to stop dropped objects, not to catch a person. Use them to secure drills, spanners, and tape measures on overhead work, but never treat a tool lanyard as fall protection PPE.
Lanyard Accessories That Make Working at Height Safer
The right connectors and anchor options stop bad clipping, reduce tangles, and keep your setup compliant for the job.
1. Karabiners, snap hooks, and swivel hooks
Match the connector to the anchor point and the way you move, because the wrong gate size or shape leads to side-loading and awkward clipping on scaffold and steel. Swivel hook lanyards or swivel connectors also cut down on twist when you are constantly turning and repositioning.
2. Anchorage straps and slings
If there is nothing decent to clip onto, an anchorage lanyard or strap gives you a proper rated point around beams and structure, instead of bodging it onto handrails or whatever is closest.
3. Tool tether attachments
Tool lanyards are only as good as what they attach to, so proper tether loops and tool attachment points stop you taping knots onto handles that peel off halfway through the shift.
4. Harness-compatible storage and lanyard keepers
Lanyard parks and keepers stop unused legs flapping about and snagging on tube and fittings, which is exactly when people unclip to "sort it out" and take risks.
Shop Lanyards at ITS.co.uk
Whether you need fall protection lanyards for arrest, restraint lanyards for edge control, or tool lanyards for dropped-object prevention, we stock the full range in the main types, lengths, and hook options. It is all held in our own warehouse, in stock and ready for next day delivery, so you can get compliant and get back on the job.
