four ways to improve safety in the loading bay with automation: transforming working practices to protect your staff and business

With so many factors influencing the warehouse environment right now which are out of their control, it’s just too dangerous for businesses to assume that regulatory compliance is enough to protect their employees and their profitability. Oftentimes, the passing of a new regulation is reactive and in response to an accident after it has happened. Meeting those regulations is a legal requirement and needs to be considered the starting point, not the end goal.

Businesses must constantly be on the lookout for new risks, and for new ways to improve and implement better working practices. With a high percentage of accidents happening in or around the loading bay, this is one of the most dangerous areas for businesses to address first.

It is easy to see why loading areas present so many significant risks which require careful management. Differing specifications for docks and vehicles, visiting drivers and the lack of direct communication between drivers and warehouse staff all contribute to potential problems. Add in the challenges created by manual handling, often of heavy and dangerous items, the operation of forklift trucks, the reversing of vehicles and the need to segregate vehicles from pedestrians and the loading dock should be a priority area for any logistics business.

Balancing escalating operational demands with safeguarding staff is tough, especially in highly manual environments: in the transportation and storage sector, 36% of work-related health issues are a result of musculoskeletal disorders (approximately 20,000 cases). Areas such as loading and unloading bays are hard places to work, with employees under pressure to meet the increasingly tight deadlines required by high velocity fulfilment.  

Automated loading systems radically reduce the amount of physical work required by employees. Rather than 45 minutes of highly physical activity for each trailer load, with automation the job can be completed in less than two minutes. Heavy and dangerous items can be loaded and unloaded without manual intervention, further improving employee safety and with fewer staff required for each load, a business can allocate its most experienced employees to the area.

³ HSE Transportation and Storage Statistics in Great Britain 2023

Traditional loading and unloading methods may see tractors uncoupled from trailers to make use of the equipment and labour elsewhere on the site. However, this can cause trailers to tip forward when heavy loads are mishandled or forklift trucks are used incorrectly, leading to workers being hit by machinery or the load falling from the vehicle.

As the loading and unloading process is so much quicker when automated, the need to uncouple the tractor unit from the trailer is eliminated. The trailer remains in a fixed position at all times, secure in fail-safe mechanisms. Tyre guides position the trailer exactly where it needs to be longitudinally, while the dock-lock/ dock leveller ensures it is in the correct position vertically and locked into place.

Drivers are under enormous time pressures, especially when they have been hanging around waiting to unload. It is far from unknown for a driver to attempt to drive away before the unloading/ loading process has been completed – leading to a worker falling from the vehicle or dock. This can’t happen with an automated system. If a driver mistakenly attempts to drive away without disconnecting the data cables from the trailer, the fifth wheel’s lock won’t open to release the trailer, preventing cables and other components in the system from being damaged.

Providing employees with fail-safe systems is key to avoiding the human error that can have catastrophic outcomes in the loading bay. With no need to uncouple the tractor and trailer, the simple step of locking and docking – by connecting a data cable from the loading dock to the connection point on the trailer – eradicates the risks of trailer tip and drive-aways.

• The system ensures both the loading dock and the trailer work at the same time and the same speed.
• Using readings from sensor points throughout the dock, the system safely guides the pallets and ensures perfect alignment between loading bay and trailer every time.
• Adding a fifth wheel or dock leveller at the rear of the trailer locks the trailer into position. The loading system cannot be operated unless the trailer is docked correctly.

Pedestrians operating side by side with forklift trucks is a dangerous mix. Plus, of course, there are always trucks and trailers regularly arriving and departing outside. The average annual number of workplace injury fatalities in the UK is 124 ⁴. Between 2018 and 2022, 37% of deaths in the transportation and storage environment were classified as struck by moving vehicles ⁵.

Businesses can immediately cut the risk of collisions between forklifts and employees by adopting automated loading and unloading procedures, as they eliminate the requirement for forklifts. They also include an array of features to protect workers from inadvertently straying into a danger zone such as the loading bay during operation. The addition of emergency stops, light guards and scanners, for example, not only ensures everyone knows when loading is underway but these safety features automatically shut off the system should members of staff come into proximity whilst in operation.

⁴ Costs to Britain of Workplace Fatalities and Self-Reported Injuries and Ill Health 2021/22

⁵ Transportation and Storage Statistics in Great Britain 2023

Recruitment is tough everywhere, but the issue is now urgent within logistics. One recent survey found that 64% of businesses across materials handling, distribution or fulfilment had forgone business worth more than 25% of their revenue in 2022 because of staffing issues ⁶. That’s despite 49% of respondents saying their businesses offered flexible schedules to attract or retain staff, and more than one-third reporting their businesses raised pay.

• An influx of new recruits who are unfamiliar with the processes and risks demands lots of training hours and places added pressure on the remaining workforce to increase their productivity.
• Procedural errors are more likely which can result in accidents or create new risks.
• As labour shortages intensify, staff may feel they have to cut corners or rush, increasing falls or incidences with vehicles.

Businesses can boost retention by improving not only the safety of the environment but also the overall working experience. Embracing new technologies, such as automated loading or other end-of-line automated technologies, such as pallet picking, pallet shuttles, wrapping or AGVs, can also attract a younger generation that is actively looking to use modern technologies within the workplace. Employees who are happy or engaged in their work are far less likely to make a mistake or experience mental health problems.

⁶ Warehouses Expect a Return to Normalcy After Challenging Year

1. Undertake a Risk Assessment

A comprehensive risk analysis is essential to understand the specific threats within the organisation’s loading dock. Taking a walk around the space and considering what employees will be doing day-to-day can quickly highlight potential dangers. Do walkways guide workers and visitors around the space safely? Are floors kept clear? Are handrails in place? The HSE recommends a comprehensive list of questions, on their Site Safety, Loading Areas webpage.

Looking at any recent health and safety incidents will also highlight problems and get a better employee perspective.

• What tasks are they struggling to complete safely?
• Are the same injuries occurring frequently?

Having determined current safety issues, the next step is to introduce appropriate mechanical solutions for safety, warning signs, training, and electrical safety.

2. Set Automation Priorities 

The risk assessment will highlight the key areas of business risk, allowing a business to set automation priorities. The next step is to gauge whether the business would benefit from an automated loading system. A standard viability questionnaire will help to ascertain whether a business would benefit from automation, the type of loading solution that would best suit their requirements, and how they should approach prioritising automation.

The questionnaire covers key issues, including:

Current unloading and loading processes:

• Type of loads (for example, pallets) – material, weights and size.
• Hours of operation, number of employees involved and the daily shift pattern.
• Inbound and outbound pallet flow volumes, on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis, and a forecast of how the business will scale (if this is a bottleneck).
• Equipment currently used – such as forklifts and electric stackers.
• Loading processes – for example, from the ground, the side or through rear doors.
• Type and size of trailer(s).
• Trailer routes and distances.

Business issues arising from the current manual process, including:

• Accidents and/ or ‘near misses’.
• Time taken to load/ unload.
• Driver waiting times.
• Limitation on growth due to manual processes.
• Demand to reduce loading times.
• Damage to goods or equipment.
• Space limitations.

This information provides vital insight to support a business case for automation and fine-tune the right automated loading system.