3/10/2023 0 Comments Moving dockThis keeps drivers from accessing prohibited areas of the facility or areas where they could get hit by another vehicle or piece of heavy equipment. One way to prevent drive-aways, Consider said, is requiring drivers to check in and stay in a designated area or waiting room while their trailer is loaded or unloaded. National Safety Council consultants discuss a related topic, powered industrial trucks, on the November 2020 episode of Safety+Health's “On the Safe Side” podcast. This gap is typically created by the force of a forklift or other heavy equipment moving in and out of a trailer. Trailer creep: When a truck trailer slowly inches away from a dock, it creates a gap that workers or forklifts may fall through. This can lessen the chances of two loading dock issues:ĭrive-aways: These occur when a vehicle operator pulls away from a dock while workers or forklift operators are inside or near a trailer. Once at the bay, drivers should shut off their engine and engage their brakes. Help prevent these risks by posting “flow of traffic markings” and enforcing speed limits, said David Consider, senior workplace safety consultant and trainer at the National Safety Council.Ĭonsider’s other recommendations include painting the edges of loading docks, staging areas and loading/unloading areas to enhance visibility, and installing a system of lights to communicate to drivers.įor example, a green light can indicate it’s safe to back into a loading bay, while a red light would imply it’s unsafe or the bay isn’t ready for use. So, how can employers keep loading dock workers safe? Help drive safetyĬollisions and backovers are an ever-present danger at loading docks, where vehicles are entering and exiting. That’s the highest number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics adopted its current method for classifying the sources of injuries and illnesses in 2011. ![]() That same year, nearly 6,600 people missed work because of injuries and illnesses incurred on loading docks, dock plates and ramps. freight network handled an estimated 18.6 billion tons of goods worth nearly $19 trillion, according the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Loading docks are one of the nation’s key points of commerce – and perhaps one of its most unsung. ![]() Ergonomics, chemicals, lighting and ventilation are some of the safety and health concerns for workers who transport items in or out of trailers.Guardrails, visual barriers or other safety measures can help protect workers and forklift operators from falling off docks. Dock edges should be marked with visual warnings so workers and equipment don’t fall off.They should also take steps to help prevent drive-aways and “trailer creep,” which occurs when a trailer moves away from the dock door or opening, creating a gap that workers or equipment can fall through. Employers should develop traffic control plans for inside and outside a facility.
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