Loading docks are busy and congested areas, and maintaining a proper safety strategy can ensure that your business minimizes costly and business interrupting incidents.

Truck Restraints

When trailers are maneuvered into a slot on your loading dock, ensuring that the vehicle remains stationary is essential to the safety of your labor force. As forklifts maneuver in and out of trailers and pallets are transferred, significant weight transitions ensue. When trailers are jostled they will move unless they are securely fastened in place by some form of restraint system.

When a trailer is inadvertently moved, it is called “trailer creep.” This is exceedingly unsafe for a lift truck operator, as the dock plate is detached from the trailer. A forklift can quickly fall off the side of the loading dock, resulting in serious injury or death.

A further concern is unplanned drive offs. Sometimes drivers will pull away from the loading dock before cargo transfer is concluded due to error or miscommunication. If a lift truck is engaged when a trailer pulls away it can be catastrophic.

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

Trailer Restraints (Dock Locks)

Trailer restraint mechanisms are essentially claws that grasp the ICC bar on a trailer to secure it firmly in place. These restraints can be simple, manually operated systems or sophisticated hydraulic and/or electric configurations.

Oftentimes, restraints are directly tied to the signal lights and leveler equipment on a loading dock bay, so that they can’t be disengaged if the door is ajar, the dock leveler is extended or the truck driver has not been advised to depart by the dock operator. These safety features are invaluable on any active loading dock and can improve safety immeasurably.

Wheel Chocks

The most basic way to hold a trailer in place is to chock the wheels. So why use a restraint system instead of wheel chocks? Although ordinary wheel chocks can work well, there are several risks:

• Inattentive employees may sometimes neglect to put chocks in place
• Uneven surfaces can make chocks fail if they aren’t placed correctly
• Wheel chocks can get misplaced, and busy workers may forego them rather than fall behind
• Placing wheel chocks often requires employees to get low to the ground where truck drivers can’t see them, endangering the worker if the truck moves

Dock Restraints Near Me

To find out more about dock locks or other dock safety equipment, get in touch with a dock and door professional at Raymond West today.

Raymond's Portland service operation includes all of Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, including Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Sherwood, Tualatin, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Gladstone, Clackamas, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Gresham, Troutdale, Woodburn, Salem, Vancouver, Ridgefield, Longview, Kelso and surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Portland Material Handling Equipment Supplier

3148 NE 181st Ave
Portland, OR 97230
(800) 675-2500