Loading docks are high traffic areas, and having a good safety plan can help your business avoid expensive and disruptive incidents.

Truck Restraints

As trucks are maneuvered into a slot on your loading dock, making sure the vehicle is immobilized is essential to the safety of your employees. As forklifts maneuver in and out of trailers and pallets are added or removed, substantial weight fluctuations ensue. As trailers are bumped they will shift unless they are safely tethered in place by some type of restraint system.

Any time a trailer is inadvertently 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 forklift can easily fall off the dock edge, resulting in severe injury or death.

Another consideration is unplanned departures. Drivers may occasionally depart from the dock before cargo transfer is completed due to error or misunderstanding. If a forklift is active during an unscheduled departure it can be catastrophic.

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

Trailer Restraints (Dock Locks)

Trailer restraint mechanisms are in essence claws that grab the ICC bar on a trailer frame to hold it tightly in place. These restraints can be bare bones, mechanically operated systems or more advanced electric or hydraulic configurations.

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

Wheel Chocks

Wheel chocks are the simplest way to keep a trailer in place. Wouldn’t it make more sense to just use wheel chocks instead of an expensive restraint system? Although plain wheel chocks can easily hold a vehicle in place, there are many risks:

• Forgetful employees may occasionally neglect to place chocks correctly
• A sloped or uneven approach can make chocks fail if they aren’t placed correctly
• Chocks can get lost, and busy workers may forego them rather than fall behind
• Setting wheel chocks may require employees to get low to the pavement where drivers can’t see them, putting the employee in harm’s way if the truck moves

Dock Restraints Near Me

To find out more about dock locks or other loading dock safety equipment, contact a dock and door professional at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Nogales facility serves Santa Cruz County and Pima County, including Nogales, Patagonia, Tucson, South Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and surrounding areas

Raymond West | Nogales Material Handling Equipment Supplier

480 N Mariposa Rd C
Nogales, AZ 85621
(520) 281-4125