As companies look to make more money or to be more sustainable and save money they often think about how to modernize their warehouse. Adding new software systems and changing the layout can increase revenue and decrease expenses.
These things should definitely be done, but somewhere along the way, there also needs to be a focus on safety. It is good for your employees and for your bottom line to have a safe workplace. Since the loading dock is an area where accidents can happen frequently, your focus should start there.
In this article, I will go over some of the safety tips that you need to learn to make sure your warehouse is as safe as possible.
1 – Do repairs
An accident waiting to happen is an old loading dock that is in disrepair. It is easy for trips and falls to happen, for trucks to get damaged and many other avoidable accidents. You’ll need to bring in a specialist to get the job right like Miner Corp who specializes in loading dock repair.
A new and updated loading dock will be able to get fitted with other safety provisions much easier than on the old one so you kill two birds with one stone.
2 – Install rig obstructions
Securing a rig to the loading dock is a good way to prevent any mishaps from the trailer itself. Many new ones are already equipped with Rear Impact Guard (RIG) add ons. If you don’t have any way for them to attach themselves to the loading dock then these are wasted.
Update your loading dock with these anchors so the rig can be secured and avoid it rolling or moving while being unloaded. Used in conjunction with blue light warnings and activity sensors and it becomes an essential part of your loading dock safety.
3 – Use cameras
The fewer people there are around the loading dock the better. You can avoid an accident just by removing people from the area and using cameras to do the work they would have been doing.
Cameras can even do the verification that restraint for the rig is engaged instead of somebody physically standing there to check.
Since control boxes can end up getting obstructed from the view of some people in the loading dock area these cameras can end up taking their place. This ensures that there is no blind spot that could happen and cause an accident.
4 – Keep the area clear
This should go without saying that the area should be free of cargo. But, all too often the loading dock becomes a spare area for keeping overflow. Space can end up limited in the warehouse so packages can end up lingering in the loading dock area as a way to handle the overflow.
Have an area designated in the warehouse for storage when there is a delay in shipping or freight to keep the area clear. Even things like tools and cleaning equipment need to be kept away from the loading dock area.