Understanding the BS EN124 Classification

What is EN124 Standard?

BS EN 124 (Gully Tops and Manhole Tops for Vehicular and Pedestrian Areas) superseded BS 497:1976 Specification for Manhole Covers, Road Gully Gratings and Frames for Drainage Purposes in 1994, and was updated to become BS EN 124:2015. It is the British adoption of the European standard for covers and gratings that separates products into a number of classes based on a static load test, and also groups the locations where each class should be installed (and the minimum class that should be used in each). It was produced and is published by the BSI Group.

The standard is split into one general part and five material-specific parts, and brings products made of different materials into the scope of BS EN 124.

BS EN 124-1:2015 — Definitions, classification, general principles of design, performance requirements and test methods:
BS EN 124-2:2015 — Gully tops and manhole tops made of cast iron.
BS EN 124-3:2015 — Gully tops and manhole tops made of steel or aluminium alloys.
BS EN 124-4:2015 — Gully tops and manhole tops made of steel reinforced concrete.
BS EN 124-5:2015 — Gully tops and manhole tops made of composite materials.
BS EN 124-6:2015 — Gully tops and manhole tops made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U).

Different Groups and Classes of EN124

The BS EN124 classification includes six groups that each represent different environments where covers or gratings may be used. These include:

Group 1: Areas that only pedestrians are able to access.
Group 2: Pedestrian areas and car parks where vehicle access is only occasional. This can include residential driveways.
Group 3: Forecourts, car parks, industrial sites and areas with slow moving traffic. This group also includes areas in highway locations that are no more than 50cm from the kerb and no more than 20cm onto the verge, however this excludes motorways.
Group 4: Areas that cars and lorries can access, such as hard shoulders, carriageways, as well as other pedestrian areas.
Group 5: High load areas, including docks, loading areas, and aircraft pavements.
Group 6: Aircraft pavements and other areas with high wheel loads.
It also includes several classes that rate the static load capabilities of a gully top, access cover or manhole cover. These range between Class A15 to Class F900, as detailed below:

Class A15 Manhole Cover: Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 15kN test load.
Class B125 Manhole Cover: Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 25kN test load.
Class C250 Manhole Cover: Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 250kN test load.
Class D400 (D400 Double Triangular Cover): Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 400kN test load.
Class E600: Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 600kN test load.
Class F900: Used to denote covers and gratings that can withstand a 900kN test load.

Loading Group	Installation Area	BS EN 124 Class	BS EN 124 Test Load	(Superseded) BS 497 Equivalent
Group 1	For use in pedestrian areas where vehicles have no access	A15	15kN (1.5 tonnes)	Grade C
Group 2	For use in car parks & pedestrian areas where infrequent vehicle access is likely (incl. driveways)	B125	125kN (12.5 tonnes)	Grade B
Group 3	For access covers & gully gratings in areas of slow moving, heavy traffic; also for gully gratings in certain carriageway areas (see full definition above)	C250	250kN (25 tonnes)	Grade A
Group 4	For use in carriageways of roads, hard shoulders and parking areas	D400	400kN (40 tonnes)	Grade A
Group 5	For use in areas where high wheel loads are present	E600	600kN (60 tonnes)	–
Group 6	For use in areas where extremely high wheel loads are present	F900	900kN (90 tonnes)	–