Lanes engineers in Bristol have big hand in removing glove

Proving that Lanes Group is the company that lends a hand, our engineers in Bristol have used their powerful jetting technology to remove a glove that could have caused a drain blockage.

The task reflects the benefits of keeping pipes clear of even small items to avoid major works needed when unblocking drains or sewers at a later stage.

The gel work glove appeared to have been accidently dropped into the 625mm diameter concrete pipe and become lodged in the join between two sections as they were being laid.

Lanes engineers at the company’s depot in Bristol were called in to carry out a CCTV drainage survey, which revealed the glove resting in an otherwise perfectly clean pipe.

Simon Bruton, Area Development Manager for Lanes Group in the south west region, said: “The glove was 40 metres along the drain line. It’s certainly not the most common object we’ve found in a drainage pipe, but it could still cause a serious drain blockage.

“That’s because, over time, other debris could snag on the glove, building up a drain blockage which could disrupt the flow of water or stop it altogether.

“We were asked by the client to remove the glove so we used a jet vac tanker to blast the glove with a high pressure jet of water which dislodged it. The glove will eventually be caught in a drain interceptor and be removed as part of regular maintenance.

“We then resurveyed the line to make sure the potential drain blockage had been cleared, providing the client with photographic evidence that the pipe was clear.”

Other out-of-the-ordinary items found in large waste water pipes include wallets, shoes, watches, clothes and even children’s toys.

Simon said: “Being proactive avoids having to take even more costly action to clear blocked drains later. In most cases, these are items that are lost accidentally, for example by the side of the road, or in household bathrooms. It’s clear, however, that some people have the idea of getting rid of the most unusual items down a drain.”

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