Introduction

This specification has been prepared by the Water Research Centre under the direction of the Sewers and Water Mains Committee in consultation with the Water Industry to define the properties of polypropylene encapsulated steps for use in manholes and access chambers. The steps may be cast or fixed into precast concrete chamber rings during their manufacture or fitted into existing precast concrete or brick chambers with the aid of a suitable epoxy resin. The fixing method may include the use of inserts for particular applications.

The step consists of metal reinforcement which provides the mechanical strength, completely encapsulated with at least 3mm of polypropylene. The plastic cover provides corrosion protection to the metal reinforcement and adds to the rigidity of the step. In addition it provides a nominally flat surface on which to stand in reasonable comfort and gives a comfortable hand hold.

Steps should only be installed in chambers that are in good condition and show no structural degradation.

Caveats

This document has not been reviewed for its continued currency since publication.

You should recognise the distinctions between ‘current’ and ‘ageing’ standards to better understand its interpretation.

One or more ‘Common Editorial Caveats’ may apply to this document.

See this site’s webpage ‘WIS & IGN Library / Navigation & Caveats’ for more details.

It is currently only available in a scanned format.