subject: Look For The Lanyard At Work [print this page] The lanyard, that little bit of cord around the neck of nearly every professional, actually has a bit of an interesting history. It started with the military to attach important items which could be easily lost to the individual, most often a weapon or a whistle for signalling. From functional, the lanyard became more ornamental on the military uniform. This is by no means the only example of a lanyard, nearly any sort of tether or pull cord used in business and industry is technically referred to as a lanyard.
Safety badges are becoming more common as a security measure in many companies and businesses. New employees are often issued safety badges attached to lanyards in addition to wearing identification badges as part of the required dress code while on shift. Also commonly attached to lanyards are nametags, tickets to events, or other personal identifiers. Lanyards also allow for individuality by allowing employees with strict dress codes to show their own tastes, through the use of different colors and styles of lanyards.
Even the most contentious employee may misplace an important item such as keys, security access cards or even thumb drives. A solution to this is to place the item on a lanyard. This allows the employee to maintain control of the item at all times without requiring their constant attention. Just because an item is small that does not mean it isn't expensive or vital to a smooth running operation. Using a lanyard can help reduce the risk of an item hitting the floor and breaking.
Safety is an important factor in industrial environments. Lanyards can actually play a role in helping keep employees safe. A lanyard is often attached to an employee and the kill switch of a piece of machinery. If something were to happen to the employee the pin would be pulled on the kill switch and the equipment would be shut down immediately. This same concept is also used in dangerous vehicles to keep them from operating if the driver were to fall out.
Now that it's been brought up there's barely a day that goes by without coming across a lanyard being used in a business or industrial setting. Such a simple little cord with so many different things riding on it. From identification, to physical security, industrial safety, and protecting expensive equipment from taking a fall, the simple lanyard does it.
