Manhole movement

Investing in corporate security

Manhole manhole handling is a very frequent operation in mobile construction and in the maintenance of networks (water and sewage, telecommunications, electricity, gas).

The activity of opening manhole covers is considered a risky activity due to the characteristics of the loads to be handled.

Manhole covers, manholes and manhole covers are heavy, cumbersome and unstable; the conditions of intervention are often unfavourable, such as those in busy areas; the tools used by workers are inadequate, such as 'picks'.

The damage typically linked to these operations, especially when carried out with considerable frequency as demonstrated by the studies that led to the development of risk assessment systems (NIOSH, OCRA and Snook Ciriello), is that to the osteomuscular system, with particular reference to damage to the spinal column, in relation to which incorrect manual handling of loads can cause even significant structural and functional deficits.

The incidence of this type of pathology is by no means a marginal figure: in fact, according to the 4th European Working Conditions Survey, in the 27 countries of the European Union, 22-25% of workers report work-related musculoskeletal disorders, such as backache and muscular pains in the neck, shoulders and limbs.

Organisations and employees must therefore be able to have procedures in place that allow the unblocking and opening of manhole covers to be carried out in complete safety and in compliance with the limits imposed by current legislation on the manual handling of loads.

Investing in the safety of these network maintenance operations will always have as a predictable result, a positive economic return and an overall improvement in the quality of work of the workers.

The Feda Manhole Lifter have filled an operational gap: the use of magnetic and mechanical systems, the basic principle of the lever and the technical specificities of the trucks, which require the operator to push down rather than pull up, ensure that all operations can be carried out quickly and safely.