Drain and Cover Lifting Products
www.manholebuddy.co.uk
www.drainbuddy.co.uk
Manhole Buddy permits an average build person, male or female, to lift a drain cover
equal to their own weight, in safety and comfort, using only minimal physical effort.
Manhole Buddy products are widely used within the water industry, by commercial surveyors, in
police search operations and within the prison service, by maintenance and facilities management
contractors and in many other situations ... the range of users is very diverse. The key attributes
that make the products highly desirable in most situations are simplicity, speed and safety.
Lifting manhole covers usually presents a number of risks. The weight of a typical manhole cover far
exceeds HSE guidelines for single person lifting – many will be more than twice the recommended
figure. The size, shape and location of a cover often make it difficult to adopt a good posture. The
inherent lifting and twisting actions are frequently the cause of back injuries and there is always a
risk of trapping hands or feet. And a slip close to an open chamber when removing or replacing a
cover could have severe consequences. A Manhole Buddy eliminates all of these risks and will
invariably be much faster than alternative lifting systems.
A Manhole Buddy comprises two elements, a Lifting Trolley
and a Cover Attachment. Raising the cover is achieved by
pushing downwards on the trolley handle, thereby removing
the risk of lifting and twisting injuries. The operator stays a
safe distance from the cover and the open chamber, notably
beneficial for lone person working. Most frequently, the
effort required to unseat or ‘un-stick’ a cover is greater than
that required to lift and move it – the Lifting Trolley has a
High Leverage unseating facility which negates the need for
pry bars, large hammers and excessive force!
The Manhole Buddy range is detailed extensively on the company website with product data,
pricing, user pictures and video clips. The following summary has hyperlinks that permit you to find
more detail on the feature described. You can also click here to access the homepage for the
Manhole Buddy range.
Manhole Buddy provides four alternative solutions for single person cover lifting, all interchangeable
on the same lifting trolley.
Lifting Trolleys are available in Steel or Aluminium, are genuinely hand-portable and can be
unfolded and deployed in a matter of seconds.
MagTec, the original magnetic lifting concept that launched the range in 2007, provides the fastest
means of lifting metallic drain covers - considerable time is saved by not having to clean the keyholes
and attach lifting keys. Magnetic attachment has proven to be fast, secure and applicable to the
majority of drainage covers (including split combinations) and many roadside gratings and gully covers.
KeyTec reverts to the use of a load spreader bar and lifting keys but retains the cover unseating
facility pioneered with the MagTec. KeyTec can be applied to any cover with key slots or threaded
Sunrise Tools & Equipment, Romsey, Hampshire
T: 01794 830 841
E: [email protected]
Drain and Cover Lifting Products
www.manholebuddy.co.uk
www.drainbuddy.co.uk
inserts. As an alternative to the MagTec, it will most commonly be used on non-metallic covers or
large split combinations – it is highly effective on the paved covers often found in pedestrian areas.
ChainTec is a low-cost adjustable chain accessory that attaches to a range of drainage hardware
through a universal hook on each of its four chain ‘legs’. ChainTec will connect directly to many
concrete-topped pavement covers and has also been used to unseat sub-surface gratings.
VacTec is a manually energised vacuum lifting attachment, typically used on smooth non-metallic
surfaces, where key slots are either absent or damaged. A classic construction application is for
carrying and placing paving slabs – similar smooth concrete surfaces are common on many telecoms
or cable covers found on pavements.
Pricing for all elements of the range and an indication of commonly purchased combinations can be
found on the Manhole Buddy Buy On-line webpage. Other resources on the website include a
Picture Gallery showing real-life applications and a Video Gallery.
For further information, email [email protected] or call 01794 830 841
Manhole Buddy MagTec
with folded alloy trolley
Manhole Buddy VacTec
lifting concrete-topped cover
Manhole Buddy KeyTec
with the heavy duty steel trolley
Manhole Buddy KeyTec
lifting 125 kg granite-inlaid cover
Sunrise Tools & Equipment, Romsey, Hampshire
T: 01794 830 841
Manhole Buddy ChainTec
with the heavy duty steel trolley
Manhole Buddy MagTec
lifting twist-lock cover
E: [email protected]