Fibrelite’s Lightweight Trench Covers Fast Becoming Leading Choice for Water Treatment Facilities

With RIDDOR (Reporting or Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) statistics attributing over half of injuries (resulting in absence from work) to manual handling it’s already known that reducing hazards in this area is a priority for UK water companies, as is innovation. Lightweight composite covers that provide safe and easy access eliminating unsafe manual handling issues are replacing aging concrete and cast iron manhole and trench covers.

Large concrete covers are common within the water treatment industry; these are not only difficult and dangerous to remove but also degrade and crumble over time. Traditional concrete covers are unsafe and labour intensive to remove and often break apart over time. Composite covers are also eliminating unsafe manual handling issues associated with removing large traditional cast iron alternatives that will also provide corrosion problems.

Fibrelite's composite access covers are lightweight, durable and very strong. Every Fibrelite cover is manufactured using high-technology Resin Transfer Mounding (RTM) production methods to create a highly engineered, monolithic composite product.

Advanced Design – Further Advantages

Fibrelite is the world’s largest and leading manufacturer of composite manhole, access and trench covers. This sophisticated and highly specialized material is fast becoming recognised as the more effective modern alternative to traditional materials such as heavy cast iron and concrete.

Summary of Benefits

• Lightweight for easy and safe manual removal

• Non-slip properties equivalent to a high grade road

• Extremely strong and durable

• Unlike concrete will not crumble or crack

• Corrosion resistant

• Specially designed lifting aid eliminates back injury and crushed fingers

• Perfect metal theft deterrent as zero re-sale value

• Warranted against structural failure for 15 years from date of installation*

• Non-metallic, non-conductive and will not spark

• Excellent insulator against heat

• Unaffected by underground gasses and most chemicals

• Incredibly strong monolithic structure that will not delaminate

• Range of UV stable colours available that will not flake or crack

• Load rating from A15 (1.5 Tonnes) to F900 (90 Tonnes) BS EN 124

• Sizes available up to 1600mm in length (D400)

Whole Life Cost

Composite covers have always been seen as a high cost alternative to traditional metal products. However, with Fibrelite's technological advances in the manufacturing process, the development of B125 covers and rising metal prices, composite can now compete head to head with the likes of cast iron.

Recent Customer Quote

“Using these covers eliminates manual handling issues and injury; the keys are at waist height so there’s no need to bend down and the covers don’t seize up so we don’t need to bend down with extra tools to release them. And because they’re so light, lifting is quicker which means we get more work done.”

With plants located in the United Kingdom, United States and Malaysia, Fibrelite products are tried and trusted in over 80 countries around the world.

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