How many times have you jumped into your car at the end of a busy day without giving a second thought for the lanyard around your neck?
If you’re anything like us, the chances are you’ve forgotten you’re even wearing it, so this probably happens almost every day. After all, we live in a security conscious world where you might not be able to access your place of work, or move freely around the building, without the security pass.
The Innocuous Lanyard
What else is safely attached to your lanyard?
Maybe your company name badge that you’re required to wear – it’s a sensible decision to keep it safe around your neck!
What about keys for secure areas in your workplace? What better way to make sure you don’t lose them and they’re always handy when you need them?
And of course, it’s common for conference organisers to provide delegates with lanyard holding handy site maps and event timetables.
But have you ever stopped to consider the safety risks of keeping the lanyard on whilst driving?
We hadn’t either until company director Heather, recently listened to a radio discussion on the subject. During the discussion it transpired that some police forces had issued a warning to drivers to remove these seemingly innocuous items for safety reasons.
As with so many things in life, it wasn’t the lanyard per se that was a danger. Rather the risk of what could happen – and indeed has happened – in the event of an accident.
A Precautionary Tale
Let’s think again about the contents of your lanyard – probably a credit card sized plastic security pass, a hard name badge designed to last many years, and potentially some metal keys with sharp edges. That’s without any extras you’ve popped there such as house keys or your glasses.
Police were calling for people to remove these heavily adorned lanyards as a result of serious injuries being sustained in car accidents where the victims would probably otherwise have walked away relatively unscathed.
In one accident, an NHS worker crashed on their way home from work and the keys attached to her lanyard resulted in a perforated bowel due to the force of the airbags erupting.
A second incident saw a driver suffer a collapsed lung when the airbag pushed the lanyard and security pass into their chest.
Both incidents highlight the importance of considering what more we can do to keep ourselves safe as we go about our day-to-day business.
Wider considerations
When you stop to think about it, the potential hazards we face at the end of a long day as an exhibitor or delegate, extend far beyond what might happen if you don’t take your lanyard off.
If you’ve been on your feet all day, you might be tempted to slip into flip-flops for the drive home. Whilst this isn’t illegal, they might not constitute ‘suitable’ footwear and could land you with a hefty fine, or worse, if you were to have an accident.
And whilst it’s not illegal to consume hot drinks whilst driving, if you are feeling tired and relying on caffeine to get you home, you could find yourself in trouble on a number of levels if you are distracted or too tired to drive.
You might also be driving an unfamiliar route which brings its own stressors as you try to follow directions in a strange town or city.
Don’t let the journey home spoil a great event
The moral of this story is put plans in place to ensure that everyone gets home safely and without incident.
At Compleat Conference our experienced team of experts can help you make travel arrangements that will get your delegates safely to your event and home again at the end.
Why not have a brief chat with us to find out more?
Call us on 01489 668333 or email georgina@compleatoconference.co.uk – we would love to hear from you.
