Loading docks are heavily used and potentially dangers areas, and maintaining a proper safety strategy can ensure that your business minimizes expensive and business interrupting mistakes.

Truck Restraints

When trailers enter a slot on your loading dock, making sure the trailer is immobilized is essential to the safety of your employees. As forklifts drive on and off trailers and pallets are transferred, substantial weight fluctuations ensue. As trailers are bumped they will shift unless they are safely tethered in place by some form of restraint system.

When a trailer is unintentionally moved, it is called “trailer creep.” This is exceedingly dangerous for a lift truck driver, as the dock plate is detached from the trailer. A lift truck can quickly go over the side of the loading dock, ending up in severe bodily harm or death.

A further consideration is unplanned departures. Sometimes drivers will pull away from the loading dock before loading or unloading is finished due to oversight or miscommunication. If a lift truck is active during an unscheduled departure it can be disastrous.

Truck restraints are engineered to impede trucks from departing from a loading dock until it is advisable to do so. Restraints can be as simple as wheel chocks, or they can be as sophisticated as hydraulic hooks that pair with dock levelers and doors through interlock safety mechanisms.

Trailer Restraints (Dock Locks)

Trailer restraint systems are basically hooks that grab the ICC bar on a trailer frame to hold it solidly in place. These restraints can be basic, mechanically operated systems or sophisticated hydraulic and/or electric configurations.

Oftentimes, restraints are directly tied to the signal lights and dock leveler on a loading dock bay, so that they can’t be disengaged if the door is in the open position, the dock leveler is in use or the truck driver has a “no go” signal from the dock operator. Having safeguards like these can be advantageous on any busy loading dock and can improve safety immeasurably.

Wheel Chocks

Wheel chocks are the simplest way to keep a trailer in place. So why use a restraint system instead of wheel chocks? Although ordinary wheel chocks can easily hold a vehicle in place, there are many risks:

• Inattentive workers can sometimes neglect to put chocks in place
• A sloped or uneven approach can make chocks fail if they aren’t placed correctly
• Chocks can get lost, and busy employees may choose to not use them rather than fall behind
• Placing wheel chocks often requires workers to get down near the ground where truck 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 dock safety equipment, contact a dock and door professional at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Los Angeles facility serves much of Los Angeles County, including Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, La Mirada, Downey, Pico Rivera, Los Angeles, Montebello, El Monte, Rosemead, Alhambra, South Gate, Lynwood, Compton, Westmont, Gardena, Torrance, Carson, San Pedro, La Habra, City of Industry, Walnut, Inglewood, Hawthorne and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Los Angeles Material Handling Equipment Supplier

9939 Norwalk Blvd
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 944-8067