Manhole Keys are used to open and lift manholes. They are usually made of steel, have a handle at one end (typically in a ‘D’ or ‘T’ shape), and a tip designed to be inserted into manhole keyholes, pick-holes or eyelets at the other. They are also available in various lengths.
To open and lift a manhole with a manhole key, insert the tip of the key into the manhole eyelet. Then turn the key 90° so that the upper part of the tip is touching the base of the manhole, preventing the key from slipping out of the eyelet. Then grip the key handle and try to pull the cover upwards.
Are manhole keys effective?
When used to open and lift a cover that is light and, crucially, not seized, manhole keys can be effective. They are, however, also a common cause of back injuries – unable to judge the weight of a cover and using a single motion to try and lift it, operatives often overexert themselves and put themselves into unnatural lifting postures. If the cover is seized or stuck, the likelihood of injury increases – and the probability of lifting the cover diminishes significantly.
The science behind this can be found in our whitepaper which you can download here, but, in layman’s terms, creating the force required to lift a stuck cover with a single movement is extremely difficult. Over time, grime, rust, and other deposits block the space between the cover and its frame. Vehicles, pedestrians, etc. regularly moving over the cover, along with weathering and the fact that these covers are often not moved/lifted for years further increase the amount of resistance encountered when trying to move/lift them. The more resistance and friction there is, the greater the force required to move the cover. Instead of using a standard lifting force, shorter bursts, delivered from below, provide extreme upward impact force that significantly increase the likelihood of opening the cover.
How the CoverUp Key delivers extreme, upward impact force
The CoverUp Key’s patented slide-hammer action allows users to exert the kind of upward impact force needed to dislodge and move stuck and seized access covers. Like manhole keys, the CoverUp Key has handles at one end and a tip at the other. Unlike manhole keys, the CoverUp Key has two pairs of handles to accommodate users of different heights, and interchangeable tips that make it suitable for virtually all access covers. After inserting these tips into the eyelets of a cover, an operative is able to lift the key quickly, delivering bursts of upward impact force, providing greater effectiveness to dislodge a stuck or seized cover with far less physical effort than would be required if using a manhole key.
The safe, effective and efficient way to move access covers
By reducing the level of exertion required to move manholes/access covers and allowing the correct force to be delivered by someone in a naturally upright posture, the CoverUp Key minimises the prospect of an operative suffering an injury. Whilst less effort is required, however, the key exponentially delivers greater upward impact force than a standard manhole key, making it far more likely that the operative will be able to move and lift the access cover.
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