Methods of emergency opening of manholes in emergency situations, devices and systems for their embodiment and methods of assembling devices for emergency opening of movable elements installed in manholes.

Disclosed is a device for accessing an underground facility, including a frame forming an opening and a lid pivotally mounted relative to the frame. The device includes a mechanical cylinder with a helical spring, the cylinder including a body which can vary in length according to a longitudinal force which is applied thereto. The device is configured so that the cylinder assists the passage of the lid from the closed position to the open position and exerts on the lid a force opposing closure thereof during passage thereof from the open position to its closed position. The cylinder includes an adjustable head connected to one end of the body of the cylinder and a mechanism for adjusting the longitudinal position of the adjustable head with respect to the body of the cylinder. Also disclosed is a method for installing such an access device.

A safety rail protection system disclosed herein is adaptable to be positioned adjacent to a portal. The system may include a hinged gate having an opening and first and second opposing members, with the hinged gate being operable to open from a closed position to an open position. A first side rail may be present, and may include a first side gate projection extending at least partially into the hinged gate opening, with the first side rail interfacing with at least one of the first and second opposing members when the hinged gate is in the closed position. A second side rail may be present, and may include a second side gate projection extending at least partially into the hinged gate opening when the hinged gate is in the closed position.

Embodiments generally relate to modular access covers. Example embodiments relate to an access cover assembly comprising: a first set of modular access covers and a second set of modular access covers, wherein in each set, adjacent covers are coupled; and a support frame comprising end frame pieces, side frame pieces, wall boxes, and a support beam. The end frame pieces and side frame pieces define a support plane to support the first and second sets of modular access covers. The wall boxes define a support surface to support the support beam and the end frame pieces, and the support surface is offset from the support plane and the wall boxes are connected to the end frame pieces and receive respective ends of the support beam.