Water storage tanks, clarifiers, lift stations and treatment basins all need safe access: a way into the tank for inspection, a ladder or stair to reach the top, and walkways over open water. SteelFront makes the steel components for that access in Hutchinson, Kansas: manways, cleanouts, ladder lugs and rungs, stair treads, walkway pans and toe boards. Everything is sold online with prices shown, which helps municipal maintenance crews and contractors working against a purchase order.
Problems water and wastewater crews deal with
- Tank inspection and cleaning require an opening a person can actually get through.
- Ladders and rungs corrode and have to be replaced to the right spacing and length.
- Walkways over basins are wet, slippery and often icy.
- Dropped tools and debris along walkway edges put people below at risk.
Manways and cleanouts for water tanks
Search demand for “water tank manway” and “water tank manhole cover” is steady because every tank needs a dependable opening. Our round manway comes in diameters from 16″ to 36″ with a choice of neck length, neck and flange thickness, and single or double flange punching. Pair it with a manway cover from 1/4″ to 3/4″ thick and a Fibreflex gasket. For bottom cleanouts, the rectangular cleanout frame (24″ x 36″ opening) takes a 1/4″ or 3/8″ cover sealed with the neoprene gasket roll.
Potable water note: our listings don’t state NSF/ANSI 61 certification for gaskets. If the tank stores drinking water, confirm material compatibility with us before you order.
Ladders: lugs and rungs
Fixed ladders on tanks attach with ladder lugs, either welded to a 1/4″ baseplate or unwelded for welding directly to the shell. Replacement solid steel ladder rungs ship raw for welding in 17-1/2″, 19-1/2″, 21-1/2″, 23-1/2″ and 25-1/2″ lengths.
Under OSHA’s ladder standard, 29 CFR 1910.23, rungs must be parallel, level and uniformly spaced, 10″ to 14″ apart center to center. Fixed ladders need a minimum clear width of 16″. Fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet above a lower level also have fall protection requirements under 29 CFR 1910.28. Check those when you replace or extend a tank ladder.
Walkways and stairs over basins
Treatment plants often need catwalks across clarifiers or between tanks. The walkway pan is a perforated steel surface, 26″ or 48″ wide and 10″ to 120″ long, in 13 or 14 gauge, raw or pre-galvanized. For stairs, bar grating treads and formed-grated treads drain water and shed snow. Perforated grip treads are a lighter choice. Every bolt-on style has a matching top step, such as the bar grating top step. Splice stair runs with a pitch plate.
If your plant already uses bar grating platforms, bar grating saddle clips let you attach brackets and other components without welding.
Edge protection
Walkway edges over open water or occupied areas need toeboards to stop tools and debris from falling. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.29(k) requires toeboards at least 3.5″ high, no more than 0.25″ above the walking surface, solid or with no opening larger than 1″, and able to withstand 50 lb of force. SteelFront offers 4″ tall bent-leg toe boards (13 or 14 gauge, 1″ or 1-1/2″ leg) and perforated toe boards that bolt directly to walkway uprights. Guardrail top rails must sit at 42″ (±3″) under 29 CFR 1910.29(b). Our handrail gussets connect rails to the support angle.
Confined spaces
OSHA’s confined space standard, 29 CFR 1910.146, lists tanks, vessels, vaults and pits as examples of spaces that may have limited entry and exit. Wet wells and tanks are common permit spaces in this industry. Picking the right manway diameter at design time makes entry and rescue planning easier later.
Framing and hardware
Structural punched angle (A36, hot dip galvanized available) and roll-formed punched angle have 0.563″ holes on 2″ centers for 1/2″ bolts. Add a hex nut and bolt set to finish the walkway frame. A hose reel bracket keeps washdown hoses off the walking surface.
Where to start
Browse Storage Tank Parts for openings and lugs, Walkways & Stairways for treads, pans, toe boards and rungs, and Steel Angle for framing.
Compare every size in our tank manways category and the manway sizes guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are your manway gaskets approved for potable water?
Our product listings don’t state potable water (NSF/ANSI 61) certification for the Fibreflex or neoprene gaskets. If your tank holds drinking water, confirm the gasket material with us before ordering.
How far apart should ladder rungs be?
For fixed ladders, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 requires rungs spaced 10″ to 14″ apart, center to center, with a minimum clear width of 16″ for fixed ladders. SteelFront ladder rungs come in 17-1/2″ to 25-1/2″ lengths.
What size manway do you offer for water tanks?
Round manways come in 16″, 18″, 20″, 24″, 30″ and 36″ diameters with matching covers and gaskets. A rectangular cleanout with a 24″ x 36″ opening is also available.
How tall does a toe board need to be?
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.29(k), toeboards must be at least 3.5″ high, sit no more than 0.25″ above the walking surface, and have no opening larger than 1″. Our toe boards are 4″ tall.
Can I attach parts to existing bar grating?
Yes. Our bar grating saddle clip has a double-lipped design that seats on the grating and takes a 3/8″ hex bolt with a flange nut (sold separately) to attach other parts.