What is the difference between a tether and a lanyard in rope access?

What is the difference between a tether and a lanyard in rope access?

• A. A tether is a permanent connection used for fall protection; a lanyard is temporary.
• B. A tether is a temporary connection used during movement; a lanyard is a personal restraint or fall-protection component attached to the harness.
• C. A tether is used to tie off anchors; a lanyard is used for equipment.
• D. A tether and a lanyard are unrelated terms.

Answer: (B)

In rope access, staying attached while you move and staying protected if you fall are handled by different pieces of equipment. A tether is a temporary connection you clip to an anchor as you move from one position to another. It keeps you attached during travel, but it isn’t the primary device that stops a fall. A lanyard is part of your personal fall protection system: a line that attaches from your harness to an anchor, often with an energy absorber, designed to restrain or arrest a fall. So the tether covers movement safety, while the lanyard provides direct fall protection attached to your harness. The other options misstate permanency or purpose—tethers aren’t meant as permanent fall protection, and lanyards aren’t simply for tying off equipment or unrelated to harness-based protection.

In rope access, staying attached while you move and staying protected if you fall are handled by different pieces of equipment. A tether is a temporary connection you clip to an anchor as you move from one position to another. It keeps you attached during travel, but it isn’t the primary device that stops a fall. A lanyard is part of your personal fall protection system: a line that attaches from your harness to an anchor, often with an energy absorber, designed to restrain or arrest a fall. So the tether covers movement safety, while the lanyard provides direct fall protection attached to your harness. The other options misstate permanency or purpose—tethers aren’t meant as permanent fall protection, and lanyards aren’t simply for tying off equipment or unrelated to harness-based protection.