Shock Absorbing Lanyard
A shock absorbing lanyard is a fall-arrest connecting device that incorporates a built-in energy/shock absorber to limit deceleration and arresting force on a worker's body during a fall. It elongates in a controlled way, dissipating kinetic energy, and typically limits maximum arrest force to around 4 kN (900 lb) under CSA or OSHA standards. It is used with a full-body harness and anchor to form a personal fall arrest system.
On a shop floor, a shock absorbing lanyard is a core component of a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) used when workers work at elevations, such as on mezzanines, overhead cranes, conveyors, or equipment platforms. It connects a full-body harness to an anchor or lifeline, typically via a back-mounted D-ring. When a fall occurs, the absorber deploys, increasing lanyard length by up to 1.2 m (4 ft) under CSA guidance, to reduce peak forces. Workers must calculate total fall distance, including absorber elongation, to avoid striking lower levels. Common scenarios include maintenance on large machines, temporary guardrail removal, and access to elevated controls. Lanyards must be inspected before each use for damage, and any unit that has arrested a fall must be removed from service.
Under WorkSafeBC, when is a shock absorbing lanyard mandatory?
A shock absorber must be used with wire-rope or other inelastic lanyards in a fall arrest system, and with wire-rope vertical lifelines unless part of a ladder safety device. For synthetic fibre lanyards, it is not mandatory if free fall is limited to ≤1.2 m (4 ft). WorkSafeBC accepts only shock absorbers meeting CSA Z259.11 or an equivalent standard.
What performance characteristics define a CSA/ANSI-compliant shock absorbing lanyard?
Activation force is approximately 2 kN (225 lb) to initiate deployment. Maximum arrest force to the body is about 4 kN (900 lb) with one absorber. Deployment length is up to 42 in (3.5 ft) under OSHA or 48 in (4 ft) under ANSI. Overall system arrest force must be ≤8 kN for Canadian PFAS using CSA Z259.11 lanyards.
How does a shock absorbing lanyard physically absorb energy in a fall?
The absorber uses special webbing or a woven inner core folded inside a protective jacket. During a fall, once the activation threshold is exceeded, the inner webbing progressively tears or slides through stitch patterns, converting kinetic energy into plastic deformation and frictional heat. The outer jacket tears open as the absorber deploys, spreading deceleration over a longer time to reduce peak force.