Manual handling covered

Fibrelite's composite covers are said to weigh in at approximately one-third of traditional alternatives with load ratings over 40 tonnes (D400). In 2016 they extended their range all the way up to 90 tonne (F900) load ratings for airports and ports.

David Holmes, Fibrelite’s Technical Director explains “one or two people can move any Fibrelite cover quickly and easily without risk of back injury or crushed fingers, at any load rating.”

While the lightweight and corrosion-free properties of composites go a long way towards decreasing manual handling injuries, Fibrelite wanted to eliminate them altogether. They identified stooping as an additional cause of injury. To solve this, they created an ergonomically designed lifting handle, allowing users to safely remove and replace the covers keeping the load close to the waist, avoiding stooping or bending their backs. This allows users to adhere to the advised lifting technique from both the HSE[3] and NHS[4].

Fibrelite also considered the safety of people and vehicles passing over the covers. Unlike metal and concrete covers that can become hazardous when wet or worn, Fibrelite covers have been engineered to provide a safe walking and driving surface, tested to be equivalent to modern high-grade road surfaces.

According to Ian Thompson Fibrelite’s Managing Director, there has been “a dramatic growth in the number of industries reducing their health and safety risks by using composites, both at new build facilities where Fibrelite covers are specified from the outset and at existing facilities modernising their previously installed covers”.