As heavy rain due to abnormal weather increases, accidents where manhole covers come off and people fall in are occurring. Due to the structure and nature of manholes, there is a high possibility that people will die if an accident occurs, and it is difficult to confirm the location of the manhole with the naked eye during heavy rain.

Manhole Keeper

Perfect is a company that has developed products with perfect watertightness and excellent durability by functionalizing the performance of manholes. Manholes, water and sewer pipes, and connections buried underground in South Korea needs works according to Wonkwon Huh, CEO of Perfect. Whenever heavy rains cause flooding, there are reports of manhole covers coming off and people falling into them, as well as accidents caused by people grabbing onto old and broken manholes and causing them to burst. To avoid these issues, Perfect developed Manhole Keeper in cooperation with the Korea Environment Corporation. 

This is operated by a retractable safety handle. The most common type of manhole accident is when a person walks over a manhole without realizing it and falls into it. Manhole Keeper prevents these accidents from happening in the first place with a versatile safety grab barrier that is installed inside the manhole. Unlike the lid that keeps the water out, the handrail won’t be pushed upward by the force of the water, no matter how full it is, and it’s sturdy enough to withstand a misstep, so it won’t break and people won’t fall in. In particular, it prevents falls due to broken manhole covers. 

▲ Perfect Co., Ltd. / CEO Wonkwon Huh

Winning Public Administration and Security Minister’s Prize

There is a ladder inside the manhole that you can climb up and down to inspect, but since it’s inside the manhole, it’s a bit unstable to get inside, especially since the inside of the manhole is always full of moisture, making it easy for your feet to slip. The Manhole Keeper erects safety handrails that are normally partitioned off and can be used for inspection. The ability to hold hands and support oneself from the outside of the manhole is much safer than conventional methods, allowing workers to safely climb up and down the manhole when installing and inspecting it. Simply flip the safety handle up to indicate to the outside world that you are working. It is certified for durability, passing the 512kg bearing load, 297kg opening strength, and 210kg pulling strength standards, and is also certified for safety and corrosion resistance. Manhole Keeper won the Minister of Public Administration and Security Award at the 2023 Active Administration Best Practice Contest, and also received the grand prize at the K-eco Win-Win Cooperation Excellent Project Contest. As a result, Manhole Keeper is being purchased and installed across the country by public institutions and private companies, and is currently pursuing overseas expansion.