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In everyday life, there is a risk in just about everything we do. Most of that risk is so insignificant that we don’t even give it a thought. In a warehouse and especially at a loading dock the risk increases drastically. OSHA makes the following statement on their website, “loading docks can be dangerous places for forklifts, falls from a loading dock in a forklift can be fatal.”

With a combination of personnel, heavy equipment, moving product and trucks in the docks, the risks are endless. So, how do you assess risk and what do you do with that assessment?

Webster Defines Risk as: risk noun \’risk\
: the possibility that something bad or unpleasant (such as injury or loss) will happen
: someone or something that may cause something bad or unpleasant to happen
: a person or thing that someone judges to be a good or bad choice for insurance, a loan, etc.
It’s clear that working on a loading dock can be risky. Lots of heavy moving parts combined with foot traffic and moving trucks.

Maybe the bigger questions are:

• How do you mitigate risk?
• Do you have risk mitigation practices in place?
• Do you have metrics in place to measure the cost of accidental death or injury?
• Do you have appropriate and operational safety equipment in place?

It is critical to understand the risk in your warehouse and how to mitigate that risk as much as possible. Part of risk mitigation is understanding the costs of death or injury versus the cost of equipment meant to limit the risk. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that the cost and maintenance of a truck restraint or a properly maintained dock leveler are far less costly than a serious injury or death.
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Have no doubt, mitigating or eliminating risk is attainable, it takes a commitment from management and staff. It takes a clear understanding of the risk and the expenses of doing everything or doing nothing. If you would like more information on risk management or mitigation please contact any of us at Dock & Door Tec. We will be happy to take a look at your facility, listen to you and provide you with a plan to help mitigate your risk.

Since before the first loading dock was installed dock safety has been a concern. As the equipment got better, faster and heavier so too has the danger of working on a loading dock. We have all heard that safety is everyone’s responsibility but after seeing what I have seen on the docks, I question that old adage. I have seen fully loaded forklifts going far faster than they should, I have seen dock equipment ready to collapse being used. I have even seen my boss nearly crushed by a forklift.
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So, who is really responsible to stop these mishaps and near misses? In the end, it is your reasonability to keep yourself safe first. You may say that it’s a self-centered act to think of yourself first but I contend that if everyone considered their personal safety first then everyone as a collective unit would be safer as a whole.

It may be difficult to eliminate all loading dock mishaps but it is possible to minimize the damage to both personnel and equipment.

• Slow down! Driving a forklift like it’s the last lap at Daytona could cause “the big one”
• Service/repair your docks, if your dock sags or shifts when you drive over it you have a problem
• Lock the trailer, chocks won’t keep a trailer from moving like a truck restraint will
• Watch your digits, your fingers are no match for two pieces of steel coming together, keep clear
• Keep the warehouse clean, debris can cause a trip point or force a forklift to change its line
• Watch your step, look out for uneven ground, trip points, forklifts etc.

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This is a very limited list and each facility has its own unique challenges, know your surroundings and keep yourself safe.

Rick Hopkins
Operations Manager, Dock & Door Tec

To understand dock levelers we must first understand the purpose. A dock leveler is intended to act as a bridge to safely allow for the transfer of goods from a trailer to the building and vice versa.

To best determine the type of leveler needed it is important to gain a full understanding of your needs. Many factors should go into the decision, such as the volume of use, gross weight transferred, type of material handling equipment used (forklift, hand loading, pallet truck, conveyor, etc.), size of product handling, and building layout are just a few.

Regarding cost, of course, the upfront cost is important but we see many paying less upfront (they really got a good deal!) but paying exponentially more over the life of the equipment due to a poor purchasing choice. Looking beyond the upfront cost and understanding the cost of ownership is very important. The other variable is safety, with the wide ranges and type of equipment available safety never has to be compromised.

Operation types can be broken down into three basic types: mechanical, air and hydraulic. There are hybrids of these which are often a great choice, for example a hydraulic leveler with a mechanical lip will work great in many applications.

Type of levelers:

• Edge of dock, low upfront cost but very limited service range.
• Top of dock, better range than an edge of dock at a slightly higher price.
• Pit style leveler. The most common type of dock and available in a multitude of sizes and capacities it works well in most situations.
• Flex-Lip levelers are the ultimate in smooth transition technology and greatly reduce operating costs by preventing worker compensation claims and forklift repair.
• Vertical storing leveler. A great choice for food facilities due the pit design. However than can be safety concerns with these, proper layout and employee training is critical. Also end loading can often be a challenge.
• Tele scoping lip levelers. These are the newest and latest in design and offer all of the advantages of a vertical storing leveler without the safety risks or the end loading challenges.
• Specialty levelers such as barrier lip pit levelers for added run-off protection or truck levelers which can lift the entire truck are also available.

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Whether you are replacing existing equipment or designing a new facility it is important to keep your long terms needs front and center when selecting the right piece of equipment.

Big Fans of Big Fans
We’re not talking about the fans who go crazy when you fulfill an order or create a new process.  We’re talking about those really big ones that you may have seen somewhere. The proper name for these big fans are HVLS fans. A high-volume, low-speed fan (HVLS) is a large, commercial-grade fan often used to supplement heating and cooling systems. Unlike ordinary fans that span 36 to 52 inches, HVLS fans have diameters up to 24 feet.  This bigger size allows them to move huge amounts of air while rotating at slow speeds. The blades of the fans are designed to create an enormous column of air that travels down to the floor and outward in all directions. This jet of air travels horizontally (much farther than residential fans), before flowing back up and reentering the fan.

Benefits of an HVLS fan

• Maintains a comfortable indoor climate – HVLS fans rotate at a gentle 2 to 3 mph, yet can lower the perceived indoor temperature by 10-12 degrees. When it’s cold, you can reverse the fan to disperse warm air that would otherwise stay trapped at the top of the ceiling. This helps increase efficiency, as team members can work in comfort without fighting harsh temperatures or bothersome indoor wind.
• Saves energy and reduces costs – HVLS fans are perhaps most prized for their ability to reduce dependency on your HVAC system. Costing just pennies an hour to operate HVLS fans could reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 30%
• Protects inventory – Products, such as food, that are susceptible to spoilage are especially benefited by an HVLS fan since the fan keeps air circulating throughout the facility. Air circulation is essential to deter mold, mildew, and to generally keep things fresh. Also, in refrigerated environments, you can run the fan in reverse to destratify the air.
• Reduce moisture  – Good air flow reduces humidity buildup and condensation on walls and floors. This creates a safer workplace.  Floors are less slippery for walkers and drivers
• Improve air quality – Exhaust and other types of fumes won’t linger in one spot since the fan will disperse them out and away.
• Can help you acquire LEED certification– With their energy efficiency, promotion of high air quality, and innovation, HVLS fans satisfy several of the requirements needed for earning the title of a “green building.”

There are many sizes and models of HVLS fans.  You can even integrate some with solar power or centralized control centers. HVLS fans can provide immediate advantages for your warehouse, and their energy savings and efficiency-boosting abilities mean you can recoup your investment in a short amount of time.

Check out this article from Hunter’s Senior VP, Jeff Chastian on why you need HVLS fans.
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To see how much your facility can benefit from our fans, contact us today.

Whenever there are variations in your loading/unloading process, the potential for error and mishaps is greater. An effective way to sequence your operation is to use an electronic dock control system that integrates all your equipment (leveler, restraints, door, shelter, and security) into one streamlined procedure. Such a system ensures all components interlock correctly and prevents damage, which helps to reduce failures and gaps that can lead to unwanted entry into your building.

If you’re unsure if your loading dock is properly secure, ask a professional loading dock company, such as Dock & Door Tec, to inspect your facility. It’s always best to take preventative measures than to deal with the aftermath of a security breach.