I am considering having an inspection pit built in my garage( to save my back a bit!!), has anyone got any plans / photos etc, that I could take a
look at?
cheers,
Greg
the only thing I would say is make sure it doesn't flood
Practicle Classics used to advertise a fibreglass inspection pit , dig the hole and drop it in. Be carefull pits can be hazardious, petrol fumes, welding fumes,etc
Building regulations apply to going into the ground as well as putting things on it.
Foundations have to be deeper for the walls of the garage near the pit etc etc etc.
If you don't tank it properly you'll have useless rectangular pool 
quote:
Originally posted by Mr G
Building regulations apply to going into the ground as well as putting things on it.
Foundations have to be deeper for the walls of the garage near the pit etc etc etc.
If you don't tank it properly you'll have useless rectangular pool
Rules and regs are made to be broken ain't they
In my experience pits only lead to damp smelly garages. They are also as prvious post a hazard area for fumes and welding
I use a (big) pit quite regularly at a friends haulage yard. It makes some jobs ridiculously easy. Many of the scare stories you hear of petrol fumes/acetylene etc are true but with common sense unlikely to occur.
On of the biggest risk is people/things falling into it ! How many times do you drop a tool or nut/bolt onto the floor.
If you are concerned about fuel fumes etc it will be best not to tank it. The rising water level will disblace the fumes thus making the pit safe. A
set of waders will make the pit a bit more comfortable to use. just be careful about using power tools!!
Personally i would opt for some kind of lift. Doesnt have to be too high then a good quality car creeper can be used.
quote:
Originally posted by ayoungman
On of the biggest risk is people/things falling into it ! How many times do you drop a tool or nut/bolt onto the floor.
Dont forget that if it isnt built correctly, the sides could collapse and bury you.
Also the gas, both Acetelyne (from bottles) and Natural (seeping in from the surrounding earth) make a fire risk.
I work with a chap who has survived a manhole explosion and his face and hands are not a pretty sight even after many years of recovery. He was lucky
not to be killed as the fire burnt all the oxygen in the manhole and he would have died if his mate had not pulled him out. He too could have died
from entering the manhole to save his mate and not having any air in there to breathe.
Bad air, and asphyxiating gasses (naturally occuring and man made) will KILL YOU.
We get ALL these in our professionally built manholes on BT.
So whatever you do. make sure you do it properly and correctly.
The regs are there for yours and anyone elses protection.
DONT CUT CORNERS with Holes in the ground (Pits) It could cost someone their life. Probably yours.
Sorry to sound harsh, but below ground level structures have tight regs for very good reasons.
Those on the forum who say the regs are to be broken, have never worked in subterranean structures and have had to sit through the safety films and
lectures.
Do it right ot not at all.
I am pretty sure they are outlawed here in ontario Canada.
But then again I know of at least one nearby.
Dale
I had a very near miss in a pit about 25 years ago , had a car stood over pit that had a fuel leak. A couple of days later went to use pit and found may be a couple of gallons of petrol in bottom thought no problem I'll just bail it in to a bucket BIG MISTAKE . Woke up a couple of hours later in A and E remembered feeling light headed then wham I'm out. luckily my brother came into garage and saw me and managed to get a rope around me and used ablock and tackle to lift me out
Have a mate that served his time in a Scania garage. He was apprentice at the time and had just finished covering the pi area and sweeping the shop
floor when he was told to go and bring in a spanking new tractor unit for pdi. Yep you've guessed it, by the time he got round into the building
the mechanic had already lifted the pit boards again and in it went
No one hurt thank god and a story for the grand children/children/mates (time and again yawn)
id agree with geoff about sticking to the regs. Without having read them though, i would recommend at least having an extractor fan buried at the
bottom, linked to the main light with a timed overrun. Should help keep fumes down at least.
My local MOT testing station has a pit in one of the bays.
The owner however on several occasions has driven the 3 wheelers into the wrong bay......
John
Have to confess I used to MOT three wheelers , and I've dropped a couple into the pit . The extractor fan is a good idea but the pit I had at home used to get slightly damp , in fact I had just finnished bailing it out one day when we had a thunder storm and found out it wasn't leaking but surface drain couldn't cope and back yard was flooding running into garage and filling pit in 5 minutes