How do you open a manhole cover?

Useful tips for lifting a manhole cover

Manholes or manholes must be accessible for inspection and maintenance. How to lift the cover?

Depending on the material characteristics, shape and positioning, lifting the manhole cover can be a complex operation.

Light and small manhole covers can be lifted manually using levers, hooks or pullers.

For larger and heavier manhole covers, the use of manhole cover lifter which exploit the lever principle and allow manual handling of heavy loads without any effort.

Manhole covers made of ferrous material (e.g. cast iron) can be lifted using magnetic technology.

I magnet lifter are applied to the trolleys, positioned above the manhole to be lifted and activated: the magnet attracts the manhole and with a simple downward push, lifting takes place.

Manhole covers of non-ferrous material (concrete, concrete), on which magnetic technology is not applicable, can be opened by means of special keys that are anchored to the attachment points placed on the surface.

The trolley is placed on top of the manhole, the keys are attached to the appropriate holes and, by exerting a downward thrust, the manhole is raised.

Many manhole covers become blocked: impurities, tar, oxidation, but also frost and salt deposits between the cover and the frame prevent normal lifting.

How do I unlock a manhole cover?

If a manhole cover is blocked, the lifting operation must be preceded by cleaning the cracks.

To then proceed with unlocking, it is necessary to use appropriate tools 

Manual strikers can be used in combination with hook spanners or hydraulic jack unblockers that can exert strong and continuous pressure.

Both tools must be anchored at the manhole's attachment points.

How do you unlock a manhole cover without attachment points?