The lanyard isn’t just that colorful little bit of cord around the neck of nearly every professional. It actually has a little bit of an interesting history. The military first started to use it to attach easily lost but important items to individuals, among which were most commonly weapons or signal whistles. Over time, the lanyard became more decorative but still retained function on the military uniform. This isn’t the only way a lanyard is used. Often any cord that is used to attach any item in industry or business is referred to as a lanyard.

Many organizations require a special identification badge for employees as a security measure. A custom lanyard with the company name or logo is often issued to new employees for wear along with the identification badge as part of the required dress code while on shift for the organization. Lanyards also commonly hold nametags, event tickets, or any other token which needs to be readily visible. A individualized custom lanyard can give that employee chafing under a tight dress code a half inch by 20 inches worth of personality he or she so craves.

There are certain items that can’t be lost at work, for fear of thier work being unable to continue. Keys, security authenticators, and thumbdrives are among these items. If the item can’t afford to be lost, a lanyard should be used by the employee for it. A lanyard enables an employee to keep up with crucially important items without being required to pay constant attention to the item. Expensive and fragile items are also protected from fear of breakage by dropping it by the use of a lanyard.

Lanyards help constantly with personal safety in industrial environments. For example, they can serve as handles for kill switches when using dangerous machinery so that the equipment can be stopped if the wearer becomes incapacitated and ends up pulling the safety pin from the switch. Dangerous vehicles can also use this mechanism as well. One interesting fact is that the string on a cannon, which is a trigger, is also a lanyard.

Lanyards are used so commonly in industry that it is impossible to go a day without seeing or using one. It is such a simple tool that is used in so many ways, from identification, to physical security, industrial safety, and protecting expensive equipment from taking a fall. We depend on it without realizing it. The lanyard does everything yet it’s very simple.

Irida Sangemino is a skilful, international editor, PR specialist and SEO copywriter. She is famous for her special style, which she freely displays through many well-researched articles. She writes about a variety of topics, lanyards and extraordinary sites, such as OrderLanyards.com.