“Winter is coming.” That’s a Game of Thrones quote, but it’s also a truth we must face here in Michigan. Winter is coming, and transporting items in and out of your facility via your loading dock will be harder and more unpleasant when it’s cold, snow, dark, and slippery outside. Fortunately, Beuschel Sales offers two products that your company can have installed while the weather is still nice that would help make your loading dock safer and more comfortable. These are the dock seal and the dock shelter.
What Is a Dock Seal?
A dock seal is a system that lines the edge of a loading dock door. It is made of vinyl covered compressed foam and is designed to seal the gap between the dock door opening and the truck trailer, protecting it from the elements while the trailer is being loaded or unloaded.
Without a dock seal in place, workers are exposed to wind, rain, snow, ice, and heat and so are the products they are transporting to and from the facility. Dock seals are especially crucial for facilities that are a part of the food chain and must comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Not all dock seals are created equally and if your dock seal is not a quality Kelley product, we cannot guarantee that it will work effectively or last for years. Contractor grade dock seals in particular will often not withstand use, weather, and human error for more than a few years.
What is a Dock Shelter?
A dock shelter is a structure that covers the space between the truck trailer and the the building like an umbrella. Kelley dock shelters provide full access to the back of the trailer while accommodating trailers with steps or lift gates. Dock shelters are available in rigid frame, impact resistant and foam sided designs.
Dock shelters and seals are not used together. A dock shelter will typically be installed on loading docks that must accommodate many different types of truck styles and sizes. They cannot offer as effective protection as a dock seal does, but the cover dock shelters do offer increase both safety and comfort on the loading dock.
Fall is here, and temperatures are cooling. We will soon be carving pumpkins, wearing jackets, and hot drinks to stay warm. Before this happens, call about installing the proper equipment that will make your loading dock safer and more comfortable for you and your employees and will protect the products being loaded or unloaded from damage or spoilage. Contact Beuschel Sales today to get an estimate on installing new dock seals and shelters in your facility.