I have been a Surveyor for 20 + years mainly producing topographical and measured building surveys. I have always kept fit playing rugby and football, but sometimes my back would feel stiff.  I just put it down to not being a 20 year old any more.

I had to lift a few manhole covers for a topographical survey I was doing; just a normal day’s work for Dave and I (Dave is the other half of the survey team). We spent most of the day lifting covers and measuring the depths of the chambers.

My back started to feel a bit stiff again, but it had felt like this before. It was about 40 mins back from site - I felt a bit uncomfortable driving, but not too bad. However, when I came to get out of the car the pain started in my back and leg. As I tried to get out of the car, the pain was so bad I could hardly move - getting out was a major task.

This was the start of two weeks in bed and another three weeks walking like I had been playing a game of rugby on my 80^th birthday.

I spent loads of money on visits to the chiropractor; his diagnosis was that I had an inflammation in my lower back, and pressure was being placed on the sciatic nerves (sciatica). If you have ever had this you will know how crippling the pain can be.

How did I damage my back and get sciatica? On the day I lifted the manhole covers I didn’t feel any sharp pain, just the stiff back. According to my chiropractor, in my case continual lifting had inflamed the lower back area. I was advised to stop lifting manhole covers.

Now that’s not easy when its part of the job, so I had to find a way of lifting covers without putting any strain on my back. No problem, I thought, I will buy some manhole lifting equipment, so I started looking for some.

I needed a lifter to work on soft soil, un-even ground, restricted areas, with high lift capacity and most of all, easy and light to carry around the work site. I looked everywhere and could not find such a piece of equipment, which was a big problem as my clients needed drainage information - it is an important part of the survey.

So I decided that I would have a go at making a manhole lifter. I know what I wanted, how hard could it be?

Well a lot harder than I thought. After three years, loads of prototypes and lots of time and money I finally made a working device that fits all the requirements you and I want from a manhole lifter. Plus I save money because only one person is needed to safely lift a cover.