Safety , regardless of the field of activity, is an essential factor for the proper functioning of a company, particularly in dangerous environments. The transport of goods is the second field of activity. Where there are the most dangers and accidents at work after that of the construction industry . This is explained by the high traffic of transport vehicles (trucks, pallet trucks, forklifts, etc.) but also human traffic. In fact many employees circulate in the loading / unloading areas in addition to the equipment. You can take the services of Best Transloading Services In Seattle.
This sector of activity must therefore reinforce safety on the transhipment docks as much as possible to prevent the risk of material and human damage that may occur.
What are the risks on the transhipment docks?
There are different types of risks on loading / unloading docks, here are some of them:
- Gradual advance: when the vehicle is stationary, the forces exerted in the trailer such as the inertia caused by the movements of a forklift can contribute to gradually advancing the truck without the personnel realizing it. If the forklift is moving fast or the goods are poorly stacked, the truck may move slightly and this will cause a level gap between the trailer and the dock. This is a real danger since an employee or a transport vehicle could fall into this space which should not exist.
- Unexpected departure: this can happen more often than one imagines. A problem of understanding or communication can push a driver to move his vehicle thinking that the loading / unloading is finished. The problem being that this may not be the case and employees or vehicles are circulating nearby which could cause them to fall.
- The collapse of the stands: the stands that support the trailer can collapse. If they are incorrectly fixed or damaged. Which will cause the deterioration of the trailer and material damage.
- Traffic-related risks: transshipment docks and warehouses more generally are spaces. Where there is a lot of traffic, whether employees or vehicles. Who says a lot of traffic necessarily says a lot more risk of collisions. A warehouse must be well organized to optimize everyone’s movements in good safety conditions.
Good signage will best protect employees in order to avoid accidents that can be very serious. Solutions also exist to protect the stored material and thus prevent a vehicle from hitting the goods.
As you can see, there are many risks in the loading areas. That it is important to avoid, using the appropriate safety equipment depending on the situation. Get in touch with Best Transloading Services In Seattle
What solutions to protect transhipment docks?
There are many dock equipment solutions designed to protect loading/unloading areas and thus limit accidents.
For example, you will find safety stands for trailers to relieve the stands of the truck during the loading and unloading stages. These stands therefore make it possible to avoid tipping of trailers when vehicles are handling the goods.
You can also find stops , designed in different materials. To signal to a truck that it has arrived at the loading location. Thus prevent it from rolling back any further. Stoppers are available for fixing to the ground or for fixing directly. To the dock in order to avoid damaging the dock or the truck which would back up too much.
To facilitate truck maneuvers. You can also install wheel guides. To indicate to the vehicle whether it is following the correct trajectory or not. These products are ideal for mitigating the risk of collisions during manoeuvres. Finally, you can also protect docks with safety barriers to prevent employees or vehicles such as pallet trucks or forklifts from falling off the dock.
The various risks exposed are only an overview of the dangers. That can be found on a transshipment dock as well as for the proposed solutions. You can obviously see other risks not mentioned above as well as solutions for the various dangers.
