Loading docks are heavily used and potentially dangers areas, and implementing a proper safety plan can help your business avoid expensive and business interrupting mistakes.

Truck Restraints

When trailers enter a slot on your loading dock, making sure the trailer remains stationary is crucial to the safety of your employees. As lift trucks maneuver on and off trailers and pallets are transferred, significant weight transitions ensue. As trailers are jostled they will shift unless they are safely anchored in place by some form of restraint system.

Any time a trailer is inadvertently moved, it is known as “trailer creep.” This is exceedingly unsafe for a forklift operator, as the dock plate is detached from the trailer. A lift truck can undeniably go over the dock edge, ending up in severe bodily harm or death.

Another concern is unintended drive offs. From time to time, truck drivers may pull away from the loading dock before cargo transfer is completed due to oversight or misunderstanding. If a lift truck is active during an unscheduled departure it can be catastrophic.

Truck restraints are designed to impede trucks from departing from a loading dock until it is advisable to do so. Restraints can be as basic as wheel chocks, or they can be as elaborate as hydraulic hooks that tie into dock levelers and doors through interlock security mechanisms.

Trailer Restraints (Dock Locks)

Trailer restraint systems are in essence hooks that grasp the ICC bar on a trailer to hold it firmly in place. These hooks can be basic, manually operated systems or more complex hydraulic and/or electric configurations.

Trailer restraints are often directly tied to the door, signaling lights and leveler equipment on a loading dock bay, so that they can’t be disconnected if the door is ajar, the dock leveler is engaged or the truck driver hasn’t been instructed to proceed by the dock operator. Having safeguards like these can be advantageous on any busy loading dock and can greatly improve safety and productivity.

Wheel Chocks

Using wheel chocks is probably the simplest way to keep a vehicle stable. Why not just use chocks instead of fancy restraint systems? Although basic wheel chocks can easily hold a vehicle in place, there are several risks:

• Inattentive employees can sometimes neglect to put chocks in place
• Uneven surfaces can cause chocks to slip or not function properly
• Wheel chocks can get misplaced, and busy workers may forego them instead of falling behind
• Placing wheel chocks often requires employees to get down near the ground where drivers can’t see them, endangering the worker if the truck moves

Dock Restraints Near Me

If you would like to learn more about vehicle restraints or other loading dock safety equipment, get in touch with a dock and door expert at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Long Beach service area includes Long Beach, North Long Beach, Wilmington, San Pedro, Lomita, Torrance and nearby surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Long Beach Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Long Beach
(562) 444-1222