Urban surface design

Safety & security

All ACO gratings are design and tested in accordance with the standard EN1433 and are clearly marked according to the appropriate load ratings.

Inlet details are important aspects of safety as well as hydraulics as overly wide slots in drainage grates pose risks to pedestrians, in particular elderly people using walking canes or frames or people wearing high heels. The wheels of wheelchairs and shopping trolleys can also be caught in overly large drain slots, thus creating accessibility issues. Similarly in some situations bicycle riders can also be at risk. ACO offer a wide variety of options specifically to overcome these problems.

Locking systems play an important part in selection of appropriate gratings, again these can relate to specific standards and guidelines.  This is always important but it is particularly significant when designing for trafficked areas where, for certain situations, only monolithic or bolted systems can be used.  Another option for locking is ACO’s advanced boltless locking method – ACO Drainlock™ a solution that can be found on gratings such as the HeelGuard grating. This is particularly useful in areas that are frequently trafficked by pedestrians where there are occasions when there might need to be quick and easy access to retrieve lost items such as keys etc.

ACO options include gratings that have bolted and boltless locking as well as slot inlets that are integrated where the channel and polymer concrete surface gratings are moulded as part of the underlying channel. 

In every instance there is a substantial amount of detail in the design – for example bolted systems use chromate passivate steel bolts with integral friction-grip washers and recessed bolt heads ; the sophisticated Qmax anchor assembly is designed to ensure it is fully locked in when installed. Each application type demands it’s own specific set of requirements, from secure or no locking to anti slip features such as the ACO Microgrip (found on HeelGuard gratings) to help prevent slipping on plastic composite gratings.

Once again all these options give significantly greater flexibility to designers.

ACO product details and selectors can be used to check appropriate usage.