SAFETY TIPSDOCK LOADINGFrom the experts

in dock safety

2018

INTRODUCTION

The safe and efficient loading and unloading of materials in loading docks is crucial to industrial facilities. This heavily trafficked area is particularly dangerous because of the fast-paced environment, with workers focused on moving products in and out of the facility as fast as possible.

According to WorkSafe, a total of 95 workplace fatalities were reported from March 2017 to March 2018 across New Zealand. The Occupation-al Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that approximately 35,000 injuries are caused by forklifts and other powered industrial equip-ment each year and about 25% of all warehouse injuries reported occur on the loading dock

“A 45-year-old man was seriously injured at work by a forklift in his workplace in Ashburton and was flown by a rescue helicopter to Christ-church Hospital's emergency.”

NZ Stuff News - 16 April 2018

“A major freight distribution and logistics company has been fined half a million dollars after a worker died when pallets fell on him while being moved from a train wagon by a forklift in September 2016. The worker was standing beside the forklift when the pallets fell as the driver reversed.”

NZ Herald News - 25 May 2018

The above accidents are just some examples of the many workplace accidents that happen each year. Not only do they cause us grief because the victim may be seriously hurt or even killed, but we know that the majority are preventable accidents. Preventable employee accidents and fatalities in industrial settings result in disrupted and destroyed lives, decreased company morale and billions of dollars in lost revenue annually. It is clear that Loading Dock Safety should be a top priority for your facility.

RECOGNISE HAZARDS AND RISKS

It is critical to identify the risks involved in your dock loading area to facilitate the planning and design of safety procedures and a traffic management plan suited for your facility. After identifying the hazards and risks at your facility, put in place the relevant risk management solutions. Train all your employees, especially forklift and truck drivers, to identify these hazards and apply safe work practices. After 25 years in the industry we have the experience you need to consult with, to implement the perfect solution for your facility.

TRAILER HAZARDS A trailer at the loading dock can move unexpectedly and cause injuries to workers. Trailer separation accidents include vehicle drive-away, trailer creep, trailer tip, load roll-away, water ingress, reversing and landing gear failure.

A dependable vehicle restraint is the first layer of defence against trailer separation accidents. Secure all trailers in your loading docks using wheels chocks or truck restraints. A safety lighting system will also maximise communication between truck drivers and dock workers at the loading bay and should be considered as the initial step towards dock safety. Here are some of the solutions that we have installed that have proven protection against trailer separation accidents.

Global Wheel Chock. Integrate the Global Wheel Chock with your Dock Commander or Light Communi-cation Package and you have a simple, flexible and robust solution for ensuring trailers remain in place while the dock is in use. If the sensor loses contact with the tyre, an alarm will alert the dock attendant that the loading condition may be unsafe.

Global Wheel Lock. The Global Wheel Lock restraint automatically engages the rear tyre of the truck or trailer with a barrier so that it cannot move away until released from inside the dock area.

Dok-Lok. The use of this RIG (Rear Impact Guard) restraint resolves trailer/dock separation. The Dok-Lok is integrated with controls inside the building where dock personnel can prevent the truck from moving away until it is safe.

Dock Light Communication System. The Dock Light Communication System has simple red and green traffic lights to help dock workers inside your building communicate with truck drivers outside, minimising the chance of moving dock equipment and trucks harming personnel.

Equipment such as forklifts, trailers and trucks must be regularly inspected, and damage and potential risks should be identified and noted during inspection. Establish a checklist and train employees for these inspections.

Safety Restraints and trailer support stands must also be regularly checked and maintained to prevent trailers from tipping or moving away from the dock while trans-ferring materials. Other Vehicle Safety equipment we have proven to enhance Dock Safety includes:

VEHICLE HAZARDS

Corner-Vu system. With this lighting system, loading dock personnel don’t have to guess whether or not a trailer is secured at the loading dock. Bright lights mounted on the inside top corners of the loading dock door indicate whether a trailer is properly secured.

Leveler-Vu system. This provides material handling operators with a visual reference as they back out of a trailer. The high-intensity lights are mounted to the dock leveller making them easy to see when entering or exiting a trailer.

Integrated Communication Control System. Vehicle restraints that are operated either manually or automatically with an integrated communication control system can provide effective, constant communication to forklift operators and truck drivers, which is critical to safety at the loading dock.

Wheel Guides. These are low rails that guide truck tyres to ensure on-centre trailer positioning at your dock loading area. This also helps protect building walls and enhance dock seal or shelter effectiveness.

Dock Commander. This Dock system control box integrates multiple dock loading controls into one control box to improve total dock safety and create an easy to use dock system.

Safe T Signal. detects traffic from all directions and communicates with high-visibility traffic control LED symbols to the oncoming traffic.

Bollards. Bollards provide protection and demarcation from accidental impacts in areas such as doorways, corners of buildings or fire hydrants. Bollards also absorb impacts which greatly reduce damage to both vehicles and mounting systems.

Virtual Vision. Make sure that working areas are well lit. Consider having an oncoming traffic safety lighting system. The Advanced Warning Technology’s flashing lights alert personnel of approaching traffic through doorways or where there is obstructed visibility.

Dock workers being hit by forklifts or crushed by other heavy machinery is the most common cause of death at the loading dock. Workers who are not aware of trucks arriving or leaving the dock, forklifts operating in areas where pedestrians are located, and inadequate lighting in dark environments, are all hazards that require mitigation at your dock. Floor markings are not reliable in preventing accidents. Stop forklifts fr om accidentally hitting workers and products by installing traffic barriers.

PEDESTRIAN AND FORKLIFT OPERATOR RISKS

SpanGuard. This retractable light traffic barrier is versatile and easy to remove. It defines large work areas and walkways, providing a substantial visible and physical barrier.

Barrier System. PVC Impactable barriers are clean, stylish and will keep your people and equipment safe from harm. Designed to absorb shock and in modular pieces, with this barrier you can create all the access-ways required by your business. Long-lasting, they provide a greener alternative to steel.

Slips, trips and falls can be caused by wet or oily floors and uneven surfaces. Cleaning the area on a regular basis can help decrease the amount of accidents. Wet areas should be dried out immediately and floor damages should be repaired. Trash must be removed and disposed of properly.

Unsecured dock plates, unnoticeable dock edges and vacant docks can cause pedestrian slips and falls as well as forklift turnovers which can result in injuries.

Dok-Guardian. Prevent forklifts and workers from accidentally falling off your docks with Dok-Guardians. These are removable safety barriers for docks which helps prevent forklifts, pallet jacks, and pedestrians from falling off loading docks.

Safe T Gate. The Safe T Gate is also great for dock loading systems, where there are large drop-offs beyond the doorway. This can also be interlocked with other loading dock equipment by using the Dock Commander, to ensure the safest sequence of operation.

FALL HAZARDS

LIFTING AND LOADING RISKS Back injuries due to improper handling is also common for loading dock workers. Train workers to lift at the knees, pressing materials upward with the leg muscles rather than with the arms and lower back. Safe proce-dures for picking up, putting down, and stacking loads must be followed. Provide lifting belts specifically made for warehouse technicians who do a lot of lifting and carrying. Implement a protocol for loading and unloading correctly to prevent injuries.

Fires and explosion risks are possible unless proper guidelines are implemented and followed. “No smok-ing” and “No open flame” signs should be posted where applicable (i.e. near charging stations). Chemicals and other fire hazards must be properly labelled. It’s a good idea to ensure that fire extinguishers are available in specific locations with highly visible signs.

Carbon monoxide exposure from truck and powered material-handling equipment also impose a risk to employees. Turn o˙ truck engines t o prevent release of carbon monoxide. Ensure that there is adequate ventilation to disperse fumes and appropriate materials handling equipment should be provided for caustic chemicals. Clearly mark location of emergency first aid equipment and directions for use.

Constantly changing workplaces with many moving vehicles, products and personnel need warning signage and barriers to keep workers, products and the building safe. Ensure a safe workplace by setting up proper protection and safety systems. Bollards, barriers, gates, impact protection and traffic safety lighting systems can be used protect your building, personnel and product from costly damage.

FIRE AND CHEMICAL HAZARDS

A Safety Protocol that covers all areas including site, vehicle and worker safety must be properly implemented and maintained. All employees should be well-trained in and strictly follow the Safety Protocol and all OSH regulations.

There are nine key steps that businesses and organizations should take to implement and manage safety control systems in the workplace.

IMPLEMENT AND MAINTAIN A SAFETY PROTOCOL

IMPLEMENT

Implement operational

changes in stages to allow you to give adequate

attention to each group of

employees while minimizing disruption

TRAIN

Provide training to all employees

affected by operational changes

Consider including various teaching methods, such as

posters, handbooks, procedure

documents, and classroom sessions

BUILD

Begin with work locations that pose

the greatest risk

Consider how to mitigate

disruptions to operations while

work is taking place

DESIGN

Create control measures and

safety systems in consultation with relevant parties

CONSULT

Speak to anyone affected by risks

and control measures that may

be put in place (loaders, drivers,

supervisors, IT staff, suppliers)

Explain the “why” behind

these new initiatives

Conduct audits at regular intervals to

assess the compliance and suitability of the

safety system

REVIEW

Conduct reviews of risk assessment and

safety control measures at a set period after the

implementation, and following any

incidents or near misses

AUDITMAINTAIN

Establish a regular maintenance

routine for equipment and

machinery

Provide refresher training for staff

SUPERVISE

Provide adequate supervision at all

times

Escalate and investigate any

issues that occur

Evaluating Your Loading Doc k

SAFETY PRACTICESAs you consider how these best practices can be implemented into your organizational

context, it’s important to begin by conducting an audit to determine the state of your

current safety practices. You can use the below checklist as a guide:

LOADINGAREA

Are dock approaches in good condition and free from potholes?

Are dock bumpers in place, properly spaced and in good working condition?

Are there clear markings to indicate proper trailer positioning?

Are truck engines turned off while in the loading bay?

Are secondary (wheel-based or automatic) restraints used to prevent trailer movement during loading and unloading?

Are secondary supports used to stabilise the front end of trailers?

Are dock levelers in good working order?

Are bays kept closed and secured when not in use?

Are dock barriers used where appropriate? Are they sufficient to withstand the weight of a moving, loaded forklift?

Do workers and visitors wear appropriate PPE while in and around the loading dock (e.g. footwear, gloves, hearing and eye protection, hi-vis apparel)?

LOADINGDOCK

EQUIPMENT

Does all motorised equipment have working lights, a horn, brakes, operating manual and safety checklist?

Are there designated paths for motorised equipment to move along?

Are there procedures in place to protect pedestrians while motorised equipment is in use?

Do dock levelers, restraints, bumpers, doors, lights, communication systems, and dock seals/shelters receive regular preventative maintenance? How often?

The consistent flow of people, products, and equipment through loading areas make them inherently risky places for warehouse employees. The best practices outlined in this document will help you manage the hazards and mitigate the risks, creating a safe workplace for trailer loading and unloading activities to be carried out.

While every workplace is different, using the evaluation checklist provided above will give you a good idea of where your business currently sits in terms of safe loading practices. Remember that even once you have a functioning safety program, the work isn’t done: annual audits and reviews should be carried out to keep your practices current and ensure they address all identified risks in your loading areas – and remember, we’re here to help!

CONCLUSION

WAREHOUSEHOUSEKEEPING

Are floors kept free of debris and swept on a daily basis?

Are caution signs or barriers used in areas that are slick?

Are floors inspected on a regular basis for signs of wear and tear? Are anyshortcomings repaired in a timely manner?

EMPLOYEETRAINING

Do loading bay workers receive general health and safety training?

Are written health and safety training documents and procedures made easily accessible to workers?

Are workers trained on proper heavy lifting and manual handling techniques?

Are workers trained on the proper use of motorized and non-motorized equipment (forklifts, pickers, pallet movers)?

Are workers trained in the proper use of wheel chocks and wheel restraints?

Are workers trained in the proper use of dock levelers and bridge plates?

Are workers trained on how to properly place and adjust secondary supports, like trailer stands?

Is refresher training on all of the above provided on an annual basis?