OSHA 30 Hour Construction Program Practice Test

Which lanyard type absorbs a small amount of force during a fall?

1. Synthetic rope

2. Synthetic webbing

3. Self-retracting

4. Shock absorbing

The correct answer is: Synthetic rope

The correct answer is that the lanyard type that absorbs a small amount of force during a fall is the shock-absorbing lanyard. These lanyards are specifically designed to reduce the amount of force exerted on a person in the event of a fall. They typically have a built-in mechanism that deploys during a fall, which elongates and helps to absorb some energy, thereby decreasing the risk of injury. Shock-absorbing lanyards operate by using a specialized material or design that stretches to distribute the forces over a longer period of time, thus lessening the peak forces that are transmitted to the fall arrestor and, subsequently, to the worker. This feature is crucial in maintaining safety compliance and protecting workers from potential serious injuries caused by the sudden stop in a fall scenario. Other lanyard types like synthetic rope or synthetic webbing do not inherently have this shock-absorbing capability and, therefore, do not provide the same level of protection. Self-retracting lanyards, while they offer some benefits such as keeping the lanyard taut and reducing free fall distance, do not specifically absorb force in the same manner as designated shock-absorbing lanyards.