A manhole must be strong enough to hold up all loads that it may be subject to; this requirement also applies to the adjoining means of what?

• A. It must support only its own weight
• B. All loads it may be subjected to
• C. Only the workers' weight
• D. None

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that safety requires weight-bearing capacity for everything that could be placed on or supported by a structure, not just its own weight. A manhole must be strong enough to carry all loads it may be subjected to, including people, tools, equipment, and any external forces acting on it. That same requirement applies to the adjoining means of access (ladders, steps, platforms) because these access routes must be able to handle the same loads as the manhole itself. If the manhole is built to withstand all expected loads but the adjacent access path isn’t, the whole system could fail when someone uses it or when loads are moved nearby. So the correct idea is that all loads it may be subjected to must be supported by the adjoining means of access as well. Options focusing only on its own weight or only workers’ weight, or none, don’t capture the full safety requirement.