Manhole covers "eat people" again? Safety under your feet cannot be ignored!

Around 21:00 on May 12, a 3-year-old boy accidentally fell into a sewer pipe network and was washed away due to waterlogging on the road in Huixi Village, Weiyang District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. His parents watched helplessly as their child disappeared before their eyes. The boy has not been found yet, and the search and rescue work is still ongoing.

Image source: CCTV News Client

The search and rescue is not over yet, we pray that no tragedy will happen.

Manholes "eating people" is not an isolated case, but a safety accident that happens frequently around us. According to incomplete statistics, in 2019 alone, there were as many as 155 cases of casualties caused by improper construction, management, and maintenance of manholes, including 16 deaths. It can be said that "small manhole covers" are related to "big people's livelihood" and are directly related to the public safety of urban and rural residents.

Manhole injuries occur frequently

Manhole covers become "time bombs"

In February 2022, in Yibin, Sichuan, a pair of grandparents and grandchildren who were walking fell into a manhole cover on the road suddenly broke. Fortunately, they were rescued in time.

In April 2021, a 3-year-old child fell into a manhole in Shenyang, Liaoning. Although medical staff tried their best to treat him, the rescue was ineffective.

In August 2019, in Zunyi, Guizhou, a 3-year-old boy accidentally stepped on a broken manhole cover on the road. The manhole cover cracked instantly and the child fell into the manhole.

In August 2019, in Qingdao, Shandong, a cable manhole cover near a bus stop was loose, causing a passenger who had just got off the bus to accidentally step on empty air and half of his body fell into the cable manhole.

Manhole covers should be the emblem of a city and a guarantee of people's safety, but they frequently cause harm to personal safety.

How can we avoid the tragedy of "manhole covers eating people" from happening again?

How to distinguish different manhole covers on the road?

In the eyes of ordinary people, manholes are similar, but in fact they involve many property units and management departments, including water, electricity, heat, communications, cable TV, drainage, septic tanks, etc.

Sewage wells, drainage wells, rainwater wells

(Copyrighted image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

Features

There are round and square manhole covers, and usually words such as "sewage" and "drainage" are written on them.

Danger Index

★★★★★

remind

The sewage wells and drainage wells on the road are connected by pipes, and falling into them accidentally may endanger your life; the sewage wells on the sidewalks and community roads often have dirty water backflowing, and falling into them may easily cause suffocation and injury.

Cable well, power supply well

(Copyrighted image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

Features

There are round and square manhole covers, and usually the words "power supply" and "electricity" are written on them. They are usually composed of 2-3 manhole covers placed side by side.

Danger Index

★★★★

remind

The well chamber has smooth concrete walls and a large number of cables, which can easily cause injury if you fall in, but the well is not very deep.

Communication well

Features

The name of the telecommunications company is written on the manhole cover, which is mostly made of composite materials.

Danger Index

★★★

remind

Most of them are located on the sidewalk. The well chamber has smooth inner walls and communication facilities, but the well is not deep.

Water supply well

(Copyrighted image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

Features

The manhole covers have words such as "tap water" and "water supply" on them.

Danger Index

★★

remind

The manhole cover is not easy to open and the danger is relatively small.

Gas Well

Features

There are round and square manhole covers, and usually words such as "gas" and "natural gas" are written on them.

Danger Index

★

remind

Located on the road, the well is deep, but the manhole cover requires professional tools to open, so the danger is relatively small.

How can you avoid the “man-eating” manhole cover?

In our daily lives, we need to be alert to manholes around us that are missing manhole covers.

While protecting yourself, you can also remind people around you not to fall into such dangers.

We must be especially vigilant when heavy rain strikes, as if the sewer manhole covers are washed away, they will become "deadly dens".

Heavy rain is coming

The following methods can be used to prevent "man-eating" manhole covers:

1

Stick Pathfinder

Most puddles on the road can be detected with a stick.

2

Water surface observation method

If you see whirlpools or fountains on the road, avoid them.

3

Light judgment method

If there is a moon at night, if you walk towards the moonlight, the bright places on the road will be puddles; if you walk with your back to the moon, the dark places on the road will be puddles.

4

Multi-person pull technique

When you need to walk through water, you should go in groups of several people, supporting and pulling each other along.

5

Walking with the guardrail

If the vehicle is parked close to the guardrail, stay close to the guardrail before getting in, and don't fall into the well in a hurry to get in.

6

Careful observation method

Observe the road surface to see if there are any special signs. Perhaps a kind person has discovered a dangerous situation and is warning passersby.

How to save yourself if you accidentally fall into a manhole?

If you unfortunately fall into a well, and the well is deep, your cell phone has no signal, and you shout for help but no one answers... do not continue shouting blindly. Conserve your strength and take action to actively save yourself!

Take precautions when traveling on rainy days. Pay more attention to your feet when walking. If you see a manhole cover, walk around it!

Parents

Please take good care of your children

Relevant departments and units

Please remove all kinds of hidden dangers such as manhole covers in time

Comprehensive sources: CCTV News Client, China National Radio, National Emergency Broadcasting,