Clear plastic lanyards are another type of neck lanyard that sees wide spread use in the hospital and medical field. Soft plastic lanyards are easy to clean and can be wiped down with disinfectant to keep them clean and in a semi-sanitized condition. Trying that with a typical nylon or fabric lanyard would leave a soaking strap that wouldn’t dry quickly and might even stain your clothes if you needed to wear it right away again.
Plastic lanyards are made with the strap of clear vinyl plastic and often are imprinted with a company name or other advertising. Sometimes they are fitted with plastic name badge holders so the whole thing could be washable. Like other lanyards vinyl lanyards can also come as breakaway lanyards and can be used to meet safety requirements. They would have a safety clip to hold the strap together and the clip would separate under stress.
Sometimes vinyl or plastic lanyards are made as reflective lanyards and a reflective lanyard is a great idea for anyone who needs to walk or ride a bike after dark and is concerned about not being seen by traffic. Sometimes the entire strap is reflective and sometimes just the imprinting that is in reflective ink, either way being safe when walking near traffic is a good idea. A plastic lanyard is not much cushion between you and an oncoming vehicle.
Plastic lanyards can work well as key lanyards in messy environments. They hold the keys securely and in an easily accessible position and can be cleaned frequently if splashed or exposed to hazards. They are popular in hospitals for this reason and help with germ mitigation as they can be cleaned and disinfected. They probably won’t survive an autoclave, but if they are that contaminated they can be disposed of and a new one can take its place.
Not everyone wants to wear a plastic or vinyl lanyard and they may look too industrial for most corporate settings, but they have their place and with the different attachment hardware that can be used along with them should meet almost any challenge.
Share and Enjoy
