Boom Lift Lanyard, Shock-Absorbing

A boom lift lanyard connects your full body harness to the anchor point in an aerial lift platform, and its shock absorber reduces the force on your body if you are thrown or fall from the basket. It is required personal protective equipment on most boom lift and bucket truck work.

Why you tie in at the platform

On a boom lift or bucket truck, a bump, a pothole or a sudden boom movement can catapult you out of the basket. A lanyard attached to the manufacturer's anchor point keeps you with the platform, and the shock absorber limits the force on your body if it catches you.

Shorter lanyards keep you from going over the rail at all, which is better than arresting a fall. Pick the shortest length that lets you work, and never tie off to the boom, a tree or a nearby pole.

On a bucket truck, the same applies: anchor to the point the manufacturer provides inside the bucket or on the boom tip, as the lift manual describes. Keep the lanyard routed so it cannot snag controls or get caught by the boom as it moves.

Standards, fit and inspection

Use a lanyard that meets the standards your employer and the lift manufacturer require, and connect it to a full body harness at the back D-ring unless instructions say otherwise. Check the listing for length, connector type and ratings before buying, and confirm clearance requirements for your lift.

Inspect webbing, stitching, the shock pack and snap hooks before each use. Retire any lanyard that has arrested a fall or shows damage. Follow ANSI Z133, OSHA and your training. See more fall arrest for aerial lifts.