Manhole Covers - What would it take to make a safe one?

[markg76]

My company is looking at the manufacture of manhole covers and I would like to know what would go into making a safe one for all users of the road.

I know they can be hazardous when worn, or wet, badly positioned on corners, or set above or below the road level. But I'd like to hear your ideas or comments on making them safer.

For example we specialise in anti slip surfaces but would it be better to match the grip factor or the road surrounding it or exceed it? Should they have visual cues to help see them in advance? Does noise generated cause issues, and is there enough done to ensure a flat profile in line with the road surface?

Any comments and ideas would be much appreciated.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

They already exist.

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/travel/latest-travel-news/new-anti-slip-manhole-covers-for-peterborough-1-4913209

https://www.slipnot.com/manhole-cover/
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[DrSnoosnoo]

It's already been done hasn't it?

They got trialled somewhere down south, not heard anything since although I've not been looking.

They just made it out of a hard wearing polymer that has no scrap value and isn't slippery as ice in the wet.
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[UnspeedySam]

Most are currently metal, so slippery as hell and many around Hampshire are dangerously recessed up to an inch or two so have the potential to do as much damage as a pot hole.

If they were replaced with ones that have the same grip level of the normal road surface and at the same height level that would make wet (and dry to be honest) weather riding a lot less dangerous!
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[-Matt-]

Anything that stops them being mini ice-rinks

Although half the time even if they're been covered/anti slipped they're still poorly installed/have sunk and are just as lethal. Hate the things

[Rogerborg]

"ThruBeam®" covers, been out for a couple of years now, MAG have been agitating about them.

Presumably OP is asking "What do better?"

Dunno, I've yet to see a ThruBeam® yet, so anything would be welcome. I expect I'd prefer "as grippy, flat, don't care about noise or about seeing them".
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[Monkeypony]

Seen them all over the continent. It's just this country that like the slippy ones!
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[pinkyfloyd]

There are 2 on the way into gosport that are covered with grit and grippy. All the ones on the NW200 track back home are treated.

The reason they wont do the same to the rest is simple. Money.
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[Amber Phoenix]

Plymouth have apparently started using non-slip covers:-

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Bikers-celebrate-new-non-slip-manhole-covers/story-19994876-detail/story.html

Also found this after quick Google:

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/pdf/BMF-Manhole-Covers.pdf

So, apparently manholes covers have to conform to the EU standard EN 124, but this unfortunately doesn't stipulate a minimum level of grippyness. But, if the UK put into force a tougher standard requiring covers to be super grippy, it could run into trouble for being a barrier to the free trade of manhole covers in Europe...
It sounds like we need to lobby Brussels to up their standard for manhole covers. Surely more useful than Banana's of a maximum curvature! With rules coming from the EU, the UK will undoubtedly fall in line quicker than a fiddlers elbow, especially as it doesn't risk convicts voting out the current Gov.
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[Ariel Badger]

Not that your company could have influence over this but location is a big problem. I used to regularly have the rear skip out on a tight traffic island as the thing had a manhole bang on the only line you could take.
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[markg76]

Many thanks for your quick responses and valid pointers. Products certainly do exist, but have proven pretty expensive for a quick uptake by the utility suppliers who own about 90% of the access covers in roads.

With 17m plus covers on the highways in the UK, quite an alarming amount pre-date any official standard at all.

With regards to grip factor, does anyone have the opinion that too much may be detrimental, and an equal level to the surroundings would be better?

[Hetzer]

If it was a fitting in a private company the company would be prosecuted under H&S legislation. If somebody was killed because of it there would be corporate manslaughter charges.

But it's the government, so fuck you joe-public, wotcha gonna do abaht it!

Your Road Tax and gasoline tax, spent on duck-houses and moats, because that's what's really important. And if there's anything left over spend it on a bunch of Nimrods at 200m a pop and then scrap them before they're finished.

The UK govt, your servant since ages ago.
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[Rogerborg]

scvm, eh?

[i.p.phrealy]

Nice to see you back Hetzer!

back on topic, I can't see an issue where the grip of the cover exceeding the surrounding road would be much of an issue unless you're already sliding.

however your success will be directly related to how cheap you can make them, and how much of a kickback* you give the powers that be.


*contribution to the Party coffers
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[_mjs_]

The best thing to do is just ride around them wherever possible.

My reasoning is that if grippy or not, if you get into the habit of trusting them sooner or later you'll hit an old-fashioned one leant over and skid on it.
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[LaurenceR46]

I wish it would be a law to have them grippy, I mean look at this country, it is so health and safety ridden yet we have these mini ice rinks at almost every corner, and sometimes around here there are so many around a corner (50mph) that there is no way to avoid it.


In the wet they are dangerous on corners simple as.
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[mentalboy]

Do the long term costs actually work out much differently?
I am led to believe that whilst the costs of cast iron manhole covers are cheaper than the biker friendly ones, in some areas the Councils are having to replace them more frequently than their expected lifespan because thieves are nicking them to weigh in for scrap value.

Give me a slippery manhole cover over an open hole any day of the week!!!
But I'd infinitely prefer composite ones over cast iron!

Level ones are always a bonus but with the state of the roads round here I'm not quite sure how often you'd find a surface that you could call level! Isn't that more of an issue with the fitter rather than with the cover? They always seem to be an afterthought when the roads are being resurfaced/dressed
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