Loading docks are busy and congested areas, and having a good safety plan can help your business avoid costly and disruptive mistakes.

Truck Restraints

As trucks are maneuvered into a loading dock bay, ensuring that the trailer remains stationary is critical to the safety of your workers. As forklifts drive on and off trailers and pallets are added or removed, substantial weight transitions occur. As trailers are bumped they tend to shift unless they are safely anchored in place by some kind of restraint system.

When a trailer is unintentionally moved, it is known as “trailer creep.” This is exceedingly unsafe for a forklift driver, as the dock plate is separated from the trailer. A lift truck can quickly go over the dock edge, ending up in serious bodily harm or death.

Another concern is unscheduled drive offs. Drivers may occasionally pull away from the loading dock before loading or unloading is concluded due to miscalculation or miscommunication. If a lift truck is engaged when a truck moves it can be catastrophic.

Truck restraints are designed to impede trucks from departing from a loading dock until it is safe to proceed. Restraints can be as basic as wheel chocks, or they can be as sophisticated as hydraulic hooks that integrate with dock levelers and doors through interlock safety systems.

Trailer Restraints (Dock Locks)

Trailer restraint systems are in essence claws that grasp the ICC bar on a trailer to hold it firmly in place. These devices can be bare bones, mechanically operated systems or sophisticated hydraulic and/or electric configurations.

Oftentimes, restraints are directly tied to the door and dock leveler on a dock bay, so that they can’t be disconnected if the door is ajar, the dock leveler is engaged or the truck driver has a “no go” signal from the dock operator. Safety features like these are extremely beneficial on any high traffic loading dock and can greatly improve safety and productivity.

Wheel Chocks

Using wheel chocks is probably the simplest way to keep a vehicle stable. Wouldn’t it make more sense to just use wheel chocks instead of an expensive restraint system? While ordinary wheel chocks can work well, there are many risks:

• Inattentive workers may sometimes fail to put chocks in place
• Uneven surfaces can cause chocks to slip or not function properly
• Chocks can get lost, and busy employees may choose to not use them instead of falling behind
• Placing wheel chocks often requires workers to get low to the ground where truck 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, get in touch with a dock and door professional at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Oxnard / Ventura service area includes Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Ventura, Santa Paula, Westlake Village, Simi Valley and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Oxnard Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Ventura County, CA
(805) 667-0888