by Phil Hanford, on March 12, 2023 at 1:15 PM
Damage, delays and downtime are three things every manager wants to avoid. One of the best ways to prevent all three is by ensuring your loading dock is as safe and efficient as possible.
If making improvements to your loading dock seems like an odd idea, keep in mind:
- 25% of industrial accidents occur at loading docks
- For every incident, there are about 600 near-misses
Loading dock incidents are not only expensive, the vast majority are preventable. That’s why we put together a list of the best loading dock products to protect your people, goods and equipment; because the only “good” incident is the one that never happens.
Top 5 Loading Dock Products to Improve Safety and Profitability
The list below includes products proven to improve loading dock safety and efficiency. No matter your budget, even a small investment will pay massive dividends.
Here are our top product recommendations:
- Wheel Risers, Dock Leveler or Loading Dock Plate
- Wheel Chocks or Trailer Restraint System
- Dock Lights
- Loading Bay Edge Protection
- A Commercial Roll-Up Door
Wheel Risers
If your loading dock is 6-12” higher than most trailers, wheel risers can help level things out. When the trailer floor is level to (or higher than) your loading dock, you can:
- Optimize overhead clearance inside the trailer
- Improve safety
- Reduce wear and tear on your equipment.
Wheel risers are available in 18” or 24” widths to accommodate box trucks, single, dual or tandem axle trailers.
Dock Levelers and Loading Dock Plates
Dock levelers, also known as pit levelers, bridge the gap between your loading dock and trailers of different heights.
The gap between the trailer and your loading dock is a prime location for injury and equipment damage (more on this later). When you use a dock leveler, forklifts can travel quickly and safely from the trailer to your warehouse and back again.
If you don’t use forklifts to load and unload trailers, a dock plate may be all you need. Dock plates are portable and designed to be used with hand trucks, pallet jacks, etc.
A dock board is useful if you need a portable or less-expensive solution that can be used with heavier equipment, such as forklifts.
Important: dock levelers, dock plates and dock boards only create a bridge between the trailer and the edge of your loading dock. They don’t hold the truck in place. If, due to trailer creep or other factors, the truck pulls away from the dock prematurely, your workers are at risk for serious injury or death. That’s why you also need wheel chocks or (ideally) a trailer lock system.
Wheel Chocks or Trailer Restraint System
Forklift fall-through is one of the most horrifying and expensive loading dock incidents. It happens when the truck pulls away from the loading dock (due to trailer creep or because the driver isn’t aware). A gap opens up, and the forklift and its operator fall through and crash onto the pavement below.
The average cost of a forklift fall-through incident is $191,000:
- $41,000 in medical costs
- $75,000 forklift replacement
- $75,000 building repair
TOTAL = $191,000
The numbers above can be misleading. In a forklift fall-through, the operator is 250% more likely to die than be injured.
These gut-wrenching accidents are highly preventable. Wheel chocks, when used properly, are a relatively inexpensive way to prevent disaster. That said, EHS Today has a very compelling article about why you should use a trailer restraint system, sometimes called a dock lock.
Dock Lights
Dock lights help operators stack and spot pallets when loading and unloading. A well-lit loading dock will operate more efficiently and safely than a dimly-lit dock where workers strain to see what they’re doing.
Loading Bay Edge Protection
According to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i), any area with an unprotected drop of four feet or more must have a guardrail, safety gate or safety net to protect employees from falls. Stay OSHA compliant! Ensure you have chains, rails and/or safety gates at the edge of your loading dock.
Commercial Overhead Door
Overhead doors prevent theft, keep pests out and protect your products and employees from the elements (rain, sideways rain, hail, snow, etc.).
Upgrading your overhead door to a high-speed roll up door can help you:
- Maximize climate control
- Reduce energy bills
- Move more product in less time
- Enjoy a virtually maintenance-free, self-repairing door
- Add a wow factor to your operation
Get Rapid ROI When You Invest in Loading Dock Upgrades
Want to improve the productivity and profitability of your operation? Investing in loading dock safety and efficiency is an easy win.
Think back to some of the major headaches you had last year. How many of them could have been avoided with one or more of the loading dock products above?
The experts at Mid-Columbia Forklift and MidCo Material Handling can help you choose loading dock products that will deliver a rapid ROI. Our goal is to help your business be more successful, not sell you products you don’t need. We’ll take time to get to know your business and identify solutions that will quickly pay for themselves.
Auburn: 253-854-5438
Pasco: 509-547-7413
Wenatchee: 509-663-9009
Yakima: 509-457-5137
Further Reading:
Warehouse Equipment & Products
Pedestrian Alert Systems for Your Forklift
4 Simple Ways to Prevent Loading Dock Accidents
