DOCK EQUIPMENT
materialhandlingupdate
What you need to know
The typical
loading dock is
a dangerous
place, with
people and
heavy machinery
moving around
in tight quarters.
Here are some
things you can
do to keep
accidents at bay.
about dock safety
ACCIDENTS ON THE LOADING DOCK MAY NOT HAPPEN EVERY DAY, BUT WHEN
they do occur, the results can be catastrophic. Just imagine a 10,000- to 15,000-pound lift
truck falling off a four-foot high ledge with an operator sitting or standing on it. It’s not a
pretty picture.
In such an event, the operator is unlikely to walk away with just cuts and bruises. “In
many cases, you’re lucky to see these employees ever come back to work, and if they do,
often it’s in a diminished capacity,” says Walt Swietlik, customer relations manager at dock
equipment manufacturer Rite-Hite.
Keeping employees safe isn’t always easy. The typical dock is a hive of activity, with a lot
of heavy machinery and people passing in tight quarters while trying to meet tight schedules. Nonetheless, there are steps DC managers can take to reduce the likelihood of accidents in their own operations. Here’s a look at some measures that can help.
