Lanyards

“Keys should never be kept on lanyards around the neck or the waist.”

This extract comes from the Work Instruction - Residential Care Services Practices Manual Child Safety Services SCSS_1197 and is a very important because it addresses Lanyards in the workplace.

Lanyards are so handy to keep important things together like id cards, keys etc, but they are not meant to be used that way at Southern Cross Support Services. The main reason for this decision is that Lanyards are not all made equal and can pose a real threat to your safety while in use.

Wearing Lanyards while

• Driving; has led to injuries sustained both from collisions and attachments piercing the driver by force of airbags and or other parts of the car.
• Supporting Clients; has led to unexpected injuries to people when the lanyard or attachments get caught on things while in movement
• Running; has led to a variety of bruising and or risk to eye sockets, and
• The list goes on.

All of that makes sense but here are some uncommon facts about lanyards also:

• A study with 108 healthcare workers found that 87% of lanyards cultured primarily skin flora, but 6% grew pathogenic and faecal bacteria as well.
• As a bacterial reservoir, lanyards pose a threat to other measures of infection control, providing a source for clean hands and equipment to be re-contaminated.

So long story short, Lanyards can be used, but not worn. I personally keep my blue and yellow id cards in a lanyard that I have fixed to my backpack or briefcase, how will you keep yourself safe?