The bigger they come, the harder they…are to access so maintenance workers don’t fall.

Large vehicles, such as trucks, buses, rail cars, and recreational vehicles, are substantial capital investments built for durability and long service life, but only if well-maintained. Employees need to work at height to reach the tops and sides of transportation cars and to access vehicles from underneath. To mitigate the inherent risks, effective and compliant safety equipment should be installed.

In addition, large vehicles moving about a facility pose hazards to workers and the physical structure. Safety equipment that protects key parts of the building is also necessary.

Maintenance pits offer safe access to the underside of vehicles for inspections, maintenance, and repairs. However, when no vehicle is in the service bay, these pits pose a significant fall hazard to workers. Warning signs or covering the pit with plywood are inadequate. Portable safety railings are effective, but they need to be set up and removed before and after the pit is used. This is cumbersome and inefficient for fleet operations and other high-volume businesses.

A concertina-style maintenance pit cover securely closes pit openings when not in use to prevent accidental falls. Constructed of strong yet lightweight aluminum capable of supporting the weight of personnel and equipment, it features locking pins to hold the cover in place at different lengths. The pit covers are easy to handle and corrosion-resistant.

A version of a pit cover with adjustable brackets is designed to provide fall protection on rail tracks. They can be left in position when rolling stock is using the rail track.

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