DC Velocity - Tip Sheet 2012

may take, companies still need to train forklift drivers on what to do if the vehicle tips over or falls off the dock. Kerila points out that the appropriate response depends on what kind of lift truck is being used. With stand-up end-con-trolled lift trucks that have an open back, operators should be taught to jump clear of the vehicle, he says. Operators of sit-down trucks, however, should be trained to remain in position with their restraints in place, brace themselves, and lean away from the direction of the fall, Kerila says.

STAYING OFF THE COLLISION COURSE Unexpected trailer departure isn’t the only hazard on the loading dock, of course. There’s also the risk of collisions. Often as not, the cause turns out to be some type of visibility issue—like visual obstructions or low lighting. To reduce these risks, the experts urge DCs to avoid letting pallets, trash, and packaging material pile up around the dock and block the lift truck drivers’ view. They also stress the importance of ensuring that forklift operators can see into the trailers they’re loading or unloading. Sprunger recommends using LED lights, noting that they burn brighter and last longer than incandescent bulbs.

But visibility problems are tough to avoid altogether. For instance, lift truck drivers will almost invariably find their vision is obstructed to some degree when the forks are raised. For that reason, Piasecki recommends keeping pedestrian traffic separate from lift truck traffic where possible and making sure everyone on the dock receives proper training on safety. “Pedestrians are probably at greater risk than the lift truck operators, so make sure they understand the hazards of working around lift trucks and delivery vehicles,” he says.

Perhaps the biggest hazard of all is a false sense of security about safety, says Piasecki. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that just because you haven’t had an accident— or a near miss—on the dock, you are safe, he says.

“But operating in unsafe conditions does not always result in serious injuries,” Piasecki points out. “Some businesses can chug along for years … without something really bad happening. Unfortunately, not every business is this lucky. The facility you read about in the paper where someone died was not necessarily any less safe than your facility. That facility just happened to be on the wrong side of the statistics.” ●

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