What Does
Y Lanyard Mean?
A Y lanyard is a safety lanyard with two legs, each with its own connector. This allows the user to remain tied to a fall protection system without interruption while navigating obstacles or moving across the work area.
Like single-leg lanyards, Y lanyards are designed to decelerate a fall and absorb the force or energy generated by the fall. They are one component of a complete fall arrest or travel restraint system.
Y lanyards are known by a variety of names, including twin leg lanyard, twin tail lanyard, double lanyard, double tie-off lanyard, or 100% tie-off lanyard.
Safeopedia Explains Y Lanyard
The Role of Safety Lanyards in Personal Fall Arrest Systems
A personal fall arrest system (PFAS) is a fall protection system designed to stop a fall in progress and reduce the risk of injury.
Arresting a fall is a complex process. To do its job properly, a PFAS requires several components, primarily:
- Full Body Harness – The harness is the wearable part of the fall arrest system. It ensures that the user remains connected to the rest of the system, distributes the force of a fall to minimize its impact on the body, and leaves the worker suspended in an upright position after a fall.
- Shock-Absorbing Lanyard – The lanyard is a wire rope, flexible rope, or webbing strap that links the harness to the other components of the fall arrest system. One end of the lanyard attaches to a D-ring on the harness and the other connects to an anchor point or lifeline.
- Anchorage – The anchorage is a secure and sturdy attachment point in the work area. It must be able to withstand the full force of a fall.
The type of lanyard used in the system will depend on job being done, the work environment, and the specific risks involved. If the worker needs to navigate around obstructions or requires more freedom of movement to do their job, a Y lanyard may be required.
Components of a Y Lanyard
A Y lanyard must have at least four basic components in order to be used as part of a fall protection system:
- Double-Ended Lanyard – A lanyard with two legs, forming a Y shape. One end of the lanyard (the stem) is designed to attach to the safety harness while the other end branches out into two legs, each designed to tie off to a lifeline or a anchor point.
- Snap Hooks – Metallic hooks that are able to close shut and remain securely attached. They are located at the end of each of the lanyard’s legs and allow the user to easily attach or detach from an anchor point or lifeline.
- Shock Absorber – The shock absorber (or energy absorber) is located at the stem of the lanyard, right where it connects to the harness. It is designed to reduce a fall’s impact on the body by absorbing some of the force generated by the fall.
- Carabiner – A carabiner or other secure connector fastens the lanyard to the D-ring on the body harness.
What Is a Y Lanyard Used For?
At its most basic, a Y lanyard is used to tie off to different anchor points without leaving the user unprotected.
If a worker detaches a single-leg lanyard from an anchor point, they are at risk of a fall (or a fall that cannot be arrested) until they attach their lanyard to another anchor point. A Y lanyard eliminates this risk by allowing the user to attach one leg of the lanyard to a new anchor point before detaching the other leg from the original anchorage, allowing them to remain protected the entire time.
This makes Y lanyards useful for various applications, including:
- Continuous Tie-Off – A Y lanyard allows a worker to remain continuously tied off even when switching to different anchor points.
- Moving Around Obstacles – A Y lanyard allows workers to navigate obstructions like columns or beams without having to detach fully from their fall protection system.
- Climbing Scaffolds and Ladders – Using a Y lanyard allows workers to remain tied off as they move up and down ladders or scaffolding.
- Rescue Procedures – Rescuers can attach a Y lanyard to a suspended worker’s fall arrest system, allowing them to be lowered to the ground safely. Y lanyards can also be used to support bosun chairs or wrist connectors that can be used to lift a person to safety.
Types of Y Lanyards
Shock Absorbing Y Lanyards
The stem of a shock absorbing Y lanyard is connected to a device that absorbs the energy generated by a fall. This is an essential feature for any Y lanyard that is used as part of fall arrest systems.
Work Positioning Y Lanyards
Work positioning devices hold workers in place on a vertical surface, allowing them to work with both hands while leaning into the system for support. A Y lanyard allows the user to safely tie off while moving up or down the surface.
Double Retractable Lanyards
This type of Y lanyard has a retractable lifeline at the end of each leg. This ensures that a fall can be arrested no matter which of the two legs are connected.
How to Use a Y Lanyard
While each type of Y lanyard will be used differently, there are a few steps and guidelines that apply to most scenarios involving them.
Attaching to the Harness
- The Y lanyard must always be used with a full-body harness
- The connectors must be compatible with the fall protection system and there must be no risk of disengagement
- The carabiner at the end of the stem should always be attached to the D-ring
Tying Off
- The leg of the lanyard that is not in use must be connected to the manufacturer-approved attachment points on the harness (not the D-ring of the harness, as it can add to the body’s load in the event of a fall)
- Keep the leg that is not in use connected to prevent it from dragging or hanging down
- Always tie off with the lanyard’s free leg before detaching the other leg from the anchor point
- Do not tie off with both legs at the same time (except briefly when switching from one anchor point to another)
Proper Use and Inspection
- The lanyard must not be passed between legs, under the arms, or around the neck
- The lanyard must not be wrapped around a structure and then connected back to itself (unless specifically designed to do so)
- Inspect the lanyard before and after each use (look for fraying, tearing, discoloration, or any other signs of damage)
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