Tool Lanyards Selection

How to use Tool Lanyards

Dropped objects are among the Top 10 causes of fatalities and serious injuries on projects and work sites that involve working at height. Hand tools that are inadequately tethered are a common occurrence within these statistics.  This seems a simple enough problem to resolve, just tie off the tool using a lanyard !

Stopdrop tool lanyards are  made with strong webbing, coils or wires and are rated for specific tool weights. The lanyards include a carabiner on both sides with one connecting to the tool and the other connecting to the person or a working at height tool bag

In addition to using suitable tool lanyards, another key element in adopting a systematic approach when working with tools at height is to select tools that have been specifically designed for working at height  Certain types of tools such as an adjustable wrench can pose additional hazards and while using a suitably rated lanyard is an improvement over a piece of rope, this does not eliminate the additional hazards of individual tool components such as the wrench jaws which may come loose and cause a dropped object incident.

How do I retrofit my tools for use with lanyards?

A number of common tools such as pliers and hammers, may have no reliable point to connect the tool lanyards. There are various aftermarket products claimed to be suitable for retrofitting to general tools, however, these rely on adequate user skills for fitting and the correct judgement that its deemed safe to use at height. The retrofit tool lanyard solutions will not prevent an incident if an unsafe multi piece tool is used at height and a component fails such as a hammer head detaching.

Retrofit tool tethering solutions can adversely affect the functionality of the tool. For example, as you rotate a screwdriver a poorly fitted lanyard may get entangled effecting the workers ability to carry out the task safety. This is a detail frequently overlooked and can cause a reduction in productivity or workers refusing to follow recommended procedures.

We take a different approach in line with the DROPS Recommended Practice for working with tools at height. Stopdrop Tooling engineers and manufacturers tools with reliable and easy identifiable attachment points for tool tethers. All individual components are reliable secured and tool functionality is maintained. It takes out any guess work and false sense of security so your employees can work safely and focus on the job.