They do not make the 6 o’clock news often, but accidents at the loading dock – like the death of a man at Butterfield Foods in September – happen when the proper safety equipment and protocols aren’t used and taken. We are so familiar with the idea of trucks delivering the things that we need to sustain our lifestyles, but we rarely think about what has to happen every day all day for that to happen: large, very heavy equipment is used in loading and unloading those trucks.
Unfortunately, the combination of heavy equipment and force can result in significant bodily harm and even death. No one wants that to happen – not the employee, and not the business owner. Every accident impacts health and well-being, destroys employee morale, and can result in expensive insurance claims or lawsuits.
To prevent these types of accidents from occurring, Beuschel sells a number of safety products designed to eliminate the risk inherent in loading dock operations. These include:
Vehicle restraints – We sell several styles of restraint, from non-impact, rotating-hook, hidden-hook, and manual-wheel-chock styles all designed to reduce accidents. They all include dual-system internal/external LED-light communication systems.
Dock impact barriers – These manually operated barrier gates prevent accidents in a number of ways. They are highly visible, they can withstand the impact of a 10,000-pound forklift moving at four miles per hour, and they physically restrain employees from entering the dock space when it is unsafe. Not only do they protect people, they also protect equipment, door panels, and product.
Visual barriers – These easy-to-install-or-move barriers provide a visual reminder to warehouse and trucking staff that the certain areas require more attention to navigate.
Trailer stabilizers – The use of trailer stabilizers prevents trailer tipping and landing gear collapse, thereby eliminating accidents that might occur when employees are entering or exiting.
Wheel chocks – Many accidents happen because employees fail or forget to correctly use truck brakes or those brakes fail. Using wheel chocks adds an extra layer of insurance in the prevention of dangerous and deadly trailer creep.
APS&Go LED lights – These are high visibility red and green flashing LED lights that help increase effectiveness of communication between the truck driver and the loading dock. They act as a reminder of the timetable for loading and unloading and signal when the job is complete and the truck is safe to move.
In addition to the above, Beuschel also sells a number of visual aids to increase loading dock safety, including dock strobes, guide lights, and reflect and guide strips. If your business is concerned about increasing the safety of both employees and equipment, call us today to discuss which of the above products would be best to install or implement.