Your loading dock area is a very busy place, with forklifts coming in and out, lots of packages and supplies, and trucks pulling in and out. A loading dock area, if set up properly, can be a very safe place within your workplace. However, if you don't take the right safety steps, your loading dock area is just one step away from a major accident. Here are a few things you can do to ensure the long-term safety of your loading dock area.
#1 Get Your Deck Inspected & Repaired
Your loading dock should be inspected and repaired at least once a year and ideally at least twice a year. Since your loading dock holds so much weight, from shipments, forklifts, trucks, and people, it is vitally important that the dock be structurally sound and solid. A loading dock professional should inspect your dock at least once a year to ensure that it can stand up to all that pressure.
In addition, if you every notice that your loading dock area seems to shift, sag or move in anyway when forklifts drive over it, you need to get it repaired immediately. That is a big sign that your loading dock is not able to handle the weight and pressure anymore of the loads on top of it, and could collapse if the issue is not addressed.
#2 Lock In All Trailers
Insist that all trailers that pull up to your loading dock be locked in place using a truck restraint, not chocks. Chocks don't hold a trailer in the same place like truck restraints. Truck restraints will really ensure that the trailer doesn't move when it is being unloaded and cause injury and harm to those around it. If you don't have truck restraints in place, you are going to want to have a loading dock professional install some at your loading dock.
#3 Enforce Speed Limits
Set a speed limit for your dock, and insist that all forklift drivers stay within this speed limit. You don't need forklift drivers whizzing in and out of your loading dock area. Rushing to unpack a truck and moving too fast can quickly lead to accidents.
Make sure that your drivers don't feel pressure to rush, and if a truck does not to be unloaded quickly, try to provide additional forklifts and unloading support to get the job done fast instead of pressuring your forklift drivers to move faster.
Finally, be sure to keep your loading dock area clean. Don't allow unnecessary items to sit in the loading dock for too long. A clean loading dock is an easy way to cut down on injuries and accidents.
For more information, you will want to contact a company such as American Material handling, Inc.
Share19 June 2017
Hello, my name is Candace Hunt. Welcome to my site about safety equipment used in the industrial field. Equipment operators must pay close attention to safety while operating industrial machinery. The safety techniques and tools used in this industry are purpose-built and designed to protect workers doing a specific job. I will cover the different types of safety equipment and the correct ways to utilize the supplies. My site will help you understand how employees stay safe while operating large machinery. Please feel free to visit my site daily to learn all you can about these industrial safety supplies. Thank you.