Tool lanyard device and method of use thereof

A lanyard device to connect a hand tool to a user, said device comprising:

• a housing at least part of which is adapted to be connected to clothing, belt and/or safety harness, said housing including at least one socket means formed thereon and/or therein in the top or towards the top of the housing, said device including a retractable flexible lanyard or tether means, at least one end of which is adapted to connect to a hand tool and wherein at least part of the said lanyard means includes a non-flexible, rigid ball, pin or bar to be received and/or engage with said socket means and said socket means shaped and/or configured to receive at least part of the non-flexible, rigid ball, pin or bar part of the lanyard means therein and further shaped and/or orientated such that the flexible part of the lanyard means cannot pass freely through said socket means when the user lets go of the hand tool characterised in that the weight of the hand tool is borne by coupling socket means and the non-flexible, rigid ball, pin or bar portion together thereby preventing the flexible lanyard or tether means from extending and letting the hand tool hang or dangle in a non-fixed orientation when not in use and the user lets go of the hand tool, and wherein the socket means and non-flexible, rigid ball, pin or bar are disengaged by pulling the lanyard means and/or tool in an upwards direction.