The firm described reducer rings as providing a second line of defence against chambers being accessed by unauthorised people or potential falls if accidentally left uncovered.

Product manager Gosia Kwapisz said that while restricting access has long been a legal requirement, it can still be overlooked. She said: ‘While maintaining safety by restricting manhole access is nothing new, there are still compliance issues within the construction industry, which means more needs to be done to uphold safety requirements.

‘All manholes need to be protected before, during and after project completion, with a particular focus right now on ensuring that the vast numbers of partially constructed projects aren’t leaving chambers vulnerable to safety issues.'

Wrekin said its reducer ring ensures compliance with Part H of the Building Regulations and the Sewers for Adoption design and construction guide for developers.

Ms Kwapisz said Wrekin’s reducer rings are designed to fit a wide range of its Highway and Tristar access covers, are straightforward to install and feature a non-return catch that locks them in place.

‘What’s more, they can be factory fitted to avoid confusion on site.’

She added: ‘With our solution you can retrofit reducer rings to standard manhole cover frames, which means customers selecting Wrekin ironwork can be confident that they can make their scheme compliant in future if they happen to overlook installation of these safety accessories when the cover is first put in place.’

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