Guidelines for Safety in the Loading Dock Area

Loading dock area in Austin, Texas is very likely to be the most hazardous part of your operation when you consider the combinations of hazards and the volume of activities that occur in this area. Some of the hazards that are  present  in a loading dock area in Austin, Texas are: 

·        ramps and inclines

·        overhead obstructions

·        dissimilar surfaces often wet and slippery 

·        poor lighting in trailers 

·        other vehicular traffic 

·        pedestrian traffic

·        restricted views

·        sheer drops 

·        trailer creep

·        congested staging areas

·        accumulations of empty containers

·        pallets 

·        debris 

In addition, those employees that do not operate lift trucks are rarely trained on loading dock safety in Autin, Texas issues even though they share many of the same risks as the lift truck operators.

The biggest reason to put a priority on loading dock design in loading that is safe of accidents in loading dock areas as it is to the potential severity of injuries that can occur in these types of accidents. Injuries sustained when lift trucks tip over or fall from loading docks in Austin, Texas, or those that occur when pedestrians are impacted by a lift truck, falling load, or tractor-trailer, tend to be very serious and sometimes fatal. Prevention of these types of accidents can be achieved through proper equipment, proper training, and enforcement of safe operating procedures. So here are the guidelines  for the safety in the loading area:

1. Loading area position

• Loading and unloading areas should be in safe and suitable places so that drivers can maneuver vehicles easily, or near sheeting areas.
• Provide at least two exit points, one at each end.
• Consider a refuge or bolthole, to prevent people from being struck by vehicles.  
•  Raise the platform for vehicles to park against that allows site staff to move straight into the load body.

2. Space around loading bays

• Provide enough space around loading bays for vehicles to move safely into and out of the loading bay
•  For people to move around the vehicle without being trapped.

3. Height differences

• It is better to have a loading bay platform slightly lower than the vehicle platform, rather than one that is slightly higher. 
• The edges of loading bays need to be marked clearly.
• Dock levelers should not be extended to a steep slope either downwards or upwards, because this can mean that anything crossing the surface is difficult to control.

Note: It's also important to note the importance of the dock leveler in loading dock safety. Dock levelers provide a bridge to the trailer as well as a ramp to facilitate the transition in height from the ing dock to the trailer. Dock levelers are rated by weight capacity and by the service range. The service range is also known as the height differential rates the safe range above and below loading dock level you can use the leveler to transition to the trailer height.

4. Visibility                      

Visibility during reversing is always important, and especially where pedestrians may have no escape route from a vehicle approaching them. In particular, where:

• articulated vehicles have to reverse steer into an area, visibility to the back of the vehicle is often blocked by parts of the trailer. 
• A system of work telling the driver whether it is safe to reverse may be appropriate.

5. Preventing falls

Where there is a danger of people falling off platforms or loading bays in loading areas, you may need to fence the platforms or loading bays. Ways to do this include:

• Secure guardrails (designed so that goods can be passed safely over or under them);
• Removable sections of railing may (if properly supervised).
• Safety barriers should be in place any time the overhead door is open and the fall hazard is exposed. With fall prevention means in a place like a visual barrier, access to the fall hazard is restricted and workers are properly alerted to the hazard.

5. Dock  seals and shelters

 Dock seal and shelters in Austin, Texas can help to control loading and unloading conditions. 

• a vehicle reverses directly up to an opening in the side of the building,
•  weather seal is created around the opened end of the vehicle

6. Additional Equipment

Other dock equipment includes stand-alone barriers and safety barriers built into dock levelers to prevent driving off the edge of the dock when the loading dock is empty, fixed and variable height ramps to raise trailers to a level closer to that of the loading dock, and a variety of loading dock doors and dock seals. It's very important to use the operating instructions provided by the manufacturer of dock equipment as operating procedures will vary based upon the type of equipment used. Some hydraulic dock levelers(scissor lifts) may allow you to leave the leveler engaged as the trailer departs while most mechanical dock levelers should be fully disengaged and returned the stored position prior to trailers departing.

7. Proper Maintenance

Have all equipment maintained in accordance with manufacture's recommendations. This includes lift trucks, dock levelers, truck restraints, commercial doors,  and loading dock seals and shelter.

The following are additional recommendations that can improve safety in your  Loading dock operation in Austin, Texas. Some of these are equipment related while most are simply procedural. Creating a safe loading dock environment is our greatest concern at Southern Dock Products, a division of DuraServ. One of the most important considerations in designing and building an efficient and productive loading dock is employee safety. It is always at the top of our priority list and we carry a wide range of safety products, including the latest innovations and automated technology, to minimize risk and create a safe working environment. Call us at: Toll-free: 1-800-994-2361; Austin, TX: (512) 442-1561.