Climbing while using fall arrest lanyards isn’t just about having the right equipment it’s about how you use it while moving.

Twin lanyards are designed to provide continuous protection, but incorrect use can quickly increase fall distance and fall factor. This episode breaks down the correct technique and the real-world risks that come from getting it wrong.

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When climbing with twin lanyards, the key objective is simple: stay connected at all times while keeping fall distance as low as reasonably practicable.

Twin lanyards allow movement by alternating connection points, but if both hooks are disconnected at any stage, or positioned poorly, the risk of a high fall factor increases significantly. This can overwhelm the energy absorber and lead to serious injury.

Risk assessment plays a crucial role in deciding:

• Whether front or rear attachment is appropriate
• Where suitable anchorage points exist
• How movement should be managed safely

Practical Steps / Key Takeaways

• Always keep one hook connected while moving.
• Move one or two rungs at a time to limit fall distance.
• Avoid overreaching this increases the chance of falling past handrails or obstacles.
• Use separate anchorage points where possible.
• When descending, disconnect the upper hook first, then step down.
• Avoid disconnecting high and reattaching low this creates dangerous fall factors.
• Let the energy absorber do its job by keeping fall factors low.

We see many incidents caused not by poor equipment, but by poor technique and misunderstanding of fall dynamics.

Our training focuses on:

• Real-world movement scenarios
• Understanding fall factor and fall distance
• Applying risk assessment to everyday tasks

Fall arrest systems only protect you when they’re used correctly and that understanding comes from practical, experience-led training.

Need support with work at height planning or training?

Our consultancy and training services help teams select the right systems, apply safe techniques, and work confidently at height.

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A fall-arrest system is only as good as the way it’s used and one of the most common mistakes people make is accidentally bypassing the energy absorber. This can turn a protective system into a dangerous one in seconds.

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▶️ Fall arrest - Bypassing energy absorbers

The purpose of an energy absorber is simple: reduce the force placed on the user during a fall. It does this by tearing out under load, controlling the deceleration and preventing severe injury.

Bypassing the energy absorber happens when someone clips their unused hook onto a hard point on the harness rather than a designated breakaway point.

If a fall occurs, the shock absorber can’t deploy, it’s locked out. This results in the full fall force being transferred directly to the user. The difference is huge and potentially life-threatening.

Practical Steps / Key Takeaways

• Never clip unused lanyard hooks to rigid, fixed points on the harness.
• Use only designated breakaway points for stowing the spare leg of a twin-tail or spare hook.
• Understand that if the energy absorber can’t deploy, the system can’t protect you.
• Regularly check your harness and lanyards so you know where those safe stowage points are.
• Build good habits: how you clip and unclip every day directly affects your fall-arrest safety.

Understanding how and where to stow your hooks properly is a small adjustment that massively improves your safety margin. Our approach combines straight-talking, practical coaching with real scenario-based training to build confident, competent height workers.

Need help with your work-at-height safety?

Our training and consultancy services can help you plan, train, and operate safely.

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Fall arrest lanyards come in many types, lengths and materials and understanding these differences is essential for controlling fall distance and reducing risk. We unpack the basics behind lanyard construction, energy absorbers and fall factor, helping you make safer choices when working at height.

🎥 Watch the full video:

Not all lanyards behave the same when they deploy. Factors such as material, total extended length and whether the legs are elasticated or fixed all influence your total fall distance.

A key principle is understanding fall factor:

• Fall factor 0 — anchor point above you; safest scenario.
• Fall factor 1 — lateral movement with moderate fall distance.
• Fall factor 2 — worst case; anchor point at foot level, creating a fall of up to twice the lanyard length before the stop.

This is why correct anchor points and suitable lanyard selection are critical. Choosing the wrong setup can easily create a fall of four metres or more before the energy absorber even begins to deploy.

Practical Steps / Key Takeaways

Know your lanyard length:
‍Elasticated legs extend further than many people expect, increasing fall distance.

Understand material differences:
‍Rope, webbing and elasticated options behave differently during movement and deployment.

Avoid mixing components incorrectly:
‍Two single-leg lanyards do not equal a twin-leg system. Dual shock absorbers require far more force to deploy.

Use high, strong anchor points:
‍High attachment = reduced fall factor and shorter total fall distance.

Choose the right configuration for the task:
‍Single lanyards for static connection; twin lanyards for continuous attachment while moving.

Always check the energy absorber:
‍This is the critical component that reduces impact force without it, the system cannot protect you.

We regularly see teams using lanyards that aren’t suited to their work positioning or the environment they’re operating in. Small decisions such as anchor height, lanyard type or material can add metres to a fall and significantly increase risk.

Our training focuses on understanding how equipment behaves in real-world conditions. We help teams assess fall distance, choose appropriate systems and avoid common setup errors that compromise safety at height.

Need support choosing the right height safety equipment?

Contact our equipment team today for sales enquiries, expert guidance, practical demonstrations, and affiliated training courses:

📞 - 01253 767775  Opt 2

📨 - equipment@reaxltd.com

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