A safety belt lanyard shall be a minimum of ½ inch nylon, or equivalent, with a maximum length to provide for a fall of no greater than how many feet?

• A. 4 Feet
• B. 6 Feet
• C. 8 Feet
• D. 10 Feet

Answer: (B)

The idea is to limit how far you can fall before the system stops you. A lanyard must be strong enough—at least 1/2 inch nylon—to withstand the forces of a fall, and its length is limited so the free fall doesn't exceed a safe distance. Six feet is the maximum fall distance allowed, so the lanyard is kept to six feet to ensure you won’t fall more than that before arrest. Longer lanyards would permit a longer fall, increasing risk, while shorter ones are more conservative but still meet the minimum strength requirement. Keep in mind that real setups also involve deceleration distance and anchor height, but the main point is that the maximum length is chosen to cap the fall at six feet.