A falling hand tool can cause serious harm, damage equipment and bring work to an immediate stop. This is why dropped-object prevention should form part of the planning process whenever tools are used at height.
Tool tethering provides a straightforward way to help prevent tools from falling beyond the worker’s immediate area. However, it is important to select the correct tethering equipment and use it as part of a wider safe system of work.
What is tool tethering?
Tool tethering is the process of connecting a hand tool to a secure attachment point using a tool lanyard, tethering tail, wrist strap or another suitable connector.
A complete tethering system normally includes:
- An attachment point fitted to the tool
- A tool lanyard or tether
- A secure anchor point on the worker, structure or approved equipment
- Connectors that remain closed during use
The aim is to prevent a tool from falling to a lower level if it is dropped or knocked from the user’s hand.
Tool lanyards are not fall-arrest equipment for people. They are designed specifically for securing compatible tools and equipment within their stated weight limits.
Why are dropped tools dangerous?
A tool does not need to fall from a great height to cause an injury. Its weight, shape and the distance travelled can all increase the potential impact.
Dropped tools may:
- Strike workers or members of the public below
- Damage machinery, vehicles or finished surfaces
- Fall into moving equipment
- Contaminate production or food-processing areas
- Cause delays while the area is made safe
- Lead to the loss of expensive tools
HSE guidance for steel erection states that dropped materials and tools can cause significant personal injury and that work should be organised to mitigate the risk. Measures may include preventing access beneath the work area, installing edge protection and storing materials securely.
Tool tethering should complement these controls rather than replace them.
When should tools be tethered?
Tool tethering may be suitable when tools are being used:
- On scaffolding
- From ladders or stepladders
- On roofs
- From mobile elevated work platforms
- Near open edges
- Above machinery or production areas
- Above pedestrian routes
- Over water
- Inside confined or difficult-to-access spaces
Work at height includes any place where a person could fall a distance that may cause personal injury. Employers and contractors must assess the risk and properly plan work at height before it begins.
The dropped-object risk should be considered alongside the risk of the worker falling.
How to choose a tool lanyard
Not every tool lanyard is suitable for every task. Before choosing one, consider the following factors.
1. Maximum load
Check the lanyard’s stated maximum load and make sure the complete tool, including batteries and accessories, remains within that limit.
Do not estimate the tool’s weight. Weigh it where necessary and never exceed the manufacturer’s stated rating.
2. Lanyard length
The lanyard should allow the worker to use the tool comfortably without creating excessive slack.
Too much slack may create:
- A snagging hazard
- A trip hazard
- A larger fall distance
- Greater force on the tether if the tool is dropped
Adjustable or retractable tool lanyards can help manage excess length in suitable applications.
3. Connection type
Common connection options include:
- Screw-lock connectors
- Captive-eye connectors
- Adjustable loop ends
- Quick-connect buckles
- Wrist straps
- Belt attachments
The connector must remain secure throughout the task and should not be able to open unintentionally.
4. Tool attachment point
Some tools include a built-in tethering point. Others may require a retrofit attachment such as tethering tape, a tether tail or an approved tool attachment.
Never connect a lanyard to a removable battery, loose handle, trigger or another part that is not designed to support the tool.
5. Working environment
Consider whether the tether will be exposed to:
- Sharp edges
- Heat
- Chemicals
- Water
- Oil
- Abrasive surfaces
- Moving machinery
- Electrical hazards
The tethering equipment must be suitable for the conditions in which it will be used.
Inspecting tool lanyards before use
Tool lanyards and attachments should be checked before use.
Look for:
- Cuts, fraying or damaged stitching
- Bent or cracked connectors
- Connectors that do not close properly
- Damaged adjustment buckles
- Loose tool attachments
- Chemical, heat or burn damage
- Unauthorised knots or modifications
- Missing identification or load information
Remove damaged equipment from use and follow the manufacturer’s replacement instructions.
A lanyard that has arrested a dropped tool may also need to be withdrawn, even when there is no obvious visible damage.
Avoid tethering every tool to the worker
Connecting several heavy tools directly to a worker can restrict movement, increase fatigue and create entanglement hazards.
Depending on the task, it may be safer to use:
- A wrist attachment for a lightweight tool
- A belt-mounted retractable lanyard
- A tool bag with secure closures
- A structural or platform anchor point
- Separate lanyards positioned to avoid crossing
The entire system should allow the worker to maintain control, balance and freedom of movement.
Build tool tethering into the work plan
Tool tethering works best when it is planned before the worker reaches the work area.
A suitable dropped-object prevention plan should consider:
- Which tools are required
- The weight of each tool
- Suitable tool attachment points
- Where each lanyard will be anchored
- The risk of snagging or entanglement
- Exclusion zones below the work
- Tool and lanyard inspection procedures
- Storage of tools when they are not being used
Workers should also receive practical instruction on attaching, using and inspecting the equipment.
Find the right tool tethering equipment
BearTOOLS supplies tool lanyards, wrist straps, tethering attachments and tool-lanyard kits for a range of tasks and tool weights.
Always match the lanyard, connector and attachment method to the tool, environment and planned work.
Explore the BearTOOLS tool tethering range to build a system suited to your workplace.
