the top 3 loading dock safety tips

It’s important to have high-quality and clear guidelines and standards for employees on how to load and unload materials correctly and safely, including forklift operators and those using material handling equipment.

In-depth and relevant health and safety training should be delivered frequently, not just as part of onboarding new team members but at regular intervals in any given year, too. Training isn’t solely designed to help prevent workplace injuries, but to ensure the correct techniques are known and understood to prevent longer-term health issues, such as musculoskeletal problems or mental health issues.

Once a transportation vehicle is in place ready for loading, drivers should shut off their engine to reduce air pollution and engage the vehicle’s brakes to reduce the risk of a common, yet potential loading dock issue; a driveaway in which the vehicle pulls away while it’s still being loaded or trailer creep, involving a trick slowly inching away from the dock creating a dangerous gap. About 7% of the thousands of forklift accidents that occur every year are due to forklift trucks running off loading docks. Better still could be asking drivers to exit their vehicles and to wait in a designated area whilst loading takes place.

In addition, worn or defective trailer landing gear, designed to keep trailers level and secure when not attached to a vehicle, can present a significant hazard. If one or more legs falter, the trailer could tip and injure or kill anyone inside, especially operators of forklifts or other powered industrial trucks.

When it comes to the practicalities of loading, dock plates, boards or levelers can be used to bridge the gap between the trailer and the dock to ensure operatives and forklift trucks can safely load or unload trailers. However, it’s crucial to ensure that whichever mechanism is employed can support the maximum payload weight that’s expected to support. It’s essential that the equipment installed is properly maintained and serviced regularly too.

Ensuring these 3 loading dock safety tips are implemented isn’t just the right thing for employers to do, it’s a legal responsibility for employers too. From equipment to guidance, technology training, the support is available to ensure health and safety come first, every time.

At Joloda Hydraroll Ltd, we have a number of different solutions to help you improve loading dock safety, these include either Automated Loading Solutions or Manual Loading Solutions.

Depending on your processes, what materials you’re moving, and how frequently, our solutions can help lighten your load and improve the safety of the dock. Our automated loading solutions can speed up a standard process that happens in every production and warehousing location. Typically, the forklift process of loading a full trailer will be around 30-45 minutes, whilst ours can do it in under 5 minutes.

On the other hand, our manual loading solutions are ideal for trucks, trailers, and containers, these solutions load and unload pallets, slip sheets, drums, newsprint rolls, and; heavy and large machinery. Systems can be adapted to your needs and requirements and can be built into a trailer’s floor or pre-built to sit on top of any flat surface, such as a warehouse or factory floor.