Manhole and access covers are heavy, awkward and set into the ground where nothing else will grip them. A lifting pin drops into the cover's keyhole, locks with a quick release mechanism and gives a rated lifting point that can be attached and removed in seconds.
**The critical point is on every pin: the Working Load Limit is per pin, and single pin application is prohibited.** A cover lifted on one pin will tilt, the load will go off-axis, and the pin will be loaded in a way it is not designed for. Covers are lifted on two pins minimum, always.
These are unusually well marked: CE, UKCA, W.L.L., manufacturer's identification, **manufacture date and a unique serial number**, which gives individual traceability of the sort normally reserved for PPE rather than lifting accessories.
Key Features
- Quick release mechanism: Drops in, locks, releases. Fitting and removing takes seconds, which matters on a job opening dozens of covers.
- Unique serial number and manufacture date: Individual traceability, so each pin can be tracked against its own inspection record.
- CE and UKCA marked: Both marks, which not all lifting accessories carry.
- Four sizes: 25 mm, 32 mm, 35 mm and 38 mm diameter, W.L.L. 750 kg to 2000 kg per pin.
- 4:1 minimum breaking load.
- Alloy steel, electro galvanised: Corrosion protection for equipment used in wet chambers and on the highway.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
Pin Ø (mm) |
W.L.L. per pin |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
d (mm) |
E (mm) |
F (mm) |
G (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
List |
| MHLP.75 |
25 |
750 kg |
50 |
120 |
139 |
365 |
165 |
225 |
2.5 |
£53.33 |
| MHLP1 |
32 |
1000 kg |
50 |
150 |
139 |
400 |
165 |
260 |
2.8 |
£62.54 |
| MHLP1.5 |
35 |
1500 kg |
50 |
175 |
155 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
£71.32 |
| MHLP2 |
38 |
2000 kg |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
£76.81 |
Working Load Limits are per pin. A minimum of two pins must be used. Full dimensional data is in the user instruction manual.
CE and UKCA | MBL 4 x W.L.L. | Serial Numbered | NEVER USE A SINGLE PIN
Alloy steel, electro galvanised, with a minimum breaking load of four times the Working Load Limit. Marked with CE, UKCA, W.L.L., manufacturer's identification, manufacture date, unique serial number and product ID mark. The stated W.L.L. is per pin and single pin application must not be used. Under LOLER 1998, thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
Used by utilities, highways contractors, drainage and water companies, and anyone routinely opening manhole, chamber and access covers. The quick release action suits work opening many covers in a shift, and the serial numbering suits organisations that track equipment individually. Note that lifting a cover is only part of the job: the chamber below is a confined space and opening it triggers a separate set of requirements.
More About This Product
Lifting points are the only part of a lifting assembly that stays with the load, and that changes how they should be thought about. A sling belongs to the lifting company and gets inspected on a schedule. An eyebolt tapped into a gearbox belongs to the gearbox, gets painted over, corrodes quietly and is still expected to work five years later when someone needs to move the machine.
Which is why the thread and the tapped hole matter more than the eyebolt itself. The fitting is certified; the hole in the casting is not, and a worn, corroded or under-depth thread will fail long before the eyebolt does.
Angular Loading and Why the Collar Exists
The single most consequential distinction in this category is between a plain eyebolt and a collared one, and it comes down to what happens when the pull is not vertical.
A plain eyebolt has no machined face bearing on the load. Pull it sideways and the entire bending moment acts on the thread root — the point where the shank meets the thread, inside the hole, where nobody can see it. Alloy steel is strong in tension and much less tolerant of bending at a stress concentration, which is why plain eyebolts have no published derating table for angular load. There is no permitted angle because the design does not accommodate one.
A collared eyebolt has a machined face that seats hard against the load. Side load is resisted by that face rather than by the thread, which is why collared eyebolts carry a derating table and plain ones do not. The collar only works if it is fully seated — wound down onto a clean flat face with no gap. A collared eyebolt not tightened home is a plain eyebolt.
A swivel hoist ring removes the decision entirely: it pivots and rotates to align with the pull whatever direction that is, which is why it costs more and why it is the right answer where different people rig the same load.
How to Use the Manhole Lifting Pin
- Always use at least two pins: The W.L.L. is per pin and single pin lifting is prohibited. A cover on one pin tilts and loads the pin off-axis.
- Check the pin engages fully: The quick release mechanism must lock positively in the cover keyhole before any load is applied.
- Check the cover keyhole: Corroded, worn or damaged keyholes will not hold a pin reliably. The cover is outside your certification but not outside your problem.
- Lift evenly: Both pins loaded together so the cover comes up level.
- Guard the opening immediately: An open chamber is a confined space and a fall hazard.
- Record the serial number: The traceability only works if the number is captured against the inspection record.
Warning: The Working Load Limit is per pin. Never use a single pin. A cover lifted on one pin will tilt and load the pin off-axis, which is outside its design. Always confirm the pin has locked in the keyhole before lifting.
Safety Information
- Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit, which is per pin.
- Never use a single pin application. Minimum two pins.
- Confirm the quick release mechanism has locked before lifting.
- Inspect the cover keyhole for corrosion, wear and damage.
- Lift evenly so the cover rises level.
- Guard the open chamber immediately; it is a confined space and a fall hazard.
- Withdraw any pin with a faulty release mechanism, bent shank or illegible marking.
- Never weld, heat treat or modify.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
The quick release mechanism is what makes the pin useful and what fails. Operate it repeatedly and confirm it locks positively and releases cleanly every time; a mechanism that has become vague from grit and corrosion is on its way to failing, and these live in wet chambers. Inspect the shank for bending, which indicates single pin use or an off-axis lift, and the lifting eye for wear and distortion. Confirm the serial number and markings remain legible, since an unidentifiable pin loses its traceability. Keep the mechanism clean and lubricated.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why can I not use one pin?
Because a cover lifted at one point tilts, and once it tilts the load on the pin is no longer axial. The pin is designed for a straight pull, and an angled load on a pin engaged in a keyhole is exactly the situation it is not rated for. Two pins keep the cover level and the load in line.
Q: What size do I need?
Match the pin diameter to the cover keyhole, and the W.L.L. to half the cover weight if using two pins. Cover weights vary enormously; a large cast iron highway cover can be several hundred kilos.
Q: Why does it have a serial number?
Individual traceability, so each pin can be tracked against its own inspection record. That is normal for PPE and less common on lifting accessories. For an organisation with a fleet of pins across several depots, it makes the LOLER records meaningful rather than approximate.
Q: What if the cover keyhole is worn?
Then the pin may not engage reliably, and no amount of certification on the pin fixes a cover that will not hold it. Inspect the keyhole as part of the lift. A cover with a badly corroded or elongated keyhole needs a different approach.
