A manhole (also called a utility or maintenance hole) serves as an access point to underground public utilities—such as water, sewers, electricity, and gas—and is typically protected by a heavy cover designed to resist the compression of earth; while covers are usually round (because they can't fall into the opening and roll easily), in the United Kingdom they are often square or rectangular, with triangular shapes found in some places like Cambridge. Modern composite (fiberglass) manholes are increasingly used to resist corrosion from hydrogen sulfide, and they often include integrated structures like flumes, weirs, and flow inverts. However, manholes pose real hazards in cities: on January 16, 2004, Jodie S. Lane was electrocuted after stepping on a metal cover in New York City, prompting utilities to adopt safer, venting covers that stay attached during underground electrical fires. Sewer manhole placement is carefully regulated—typical spacing ranges from 7 to 20 meters, with cities using 20-meter intervals, industrial/commercial areas using 10–15 meters, and homes/restaurants using 7–10 meters. Interestingly, in Australia, the term "manhole" also commonly refers to a small 450 mm × 450 mm access hatch into a building's ceiling cavity, showing how the word adapts to different regional uses.