Tips For Safely Loading And Unloading Trucks
How safe is your warehouse loading and unloading procedure?
When many people think of dangers in the warehouse environment, hazards associated with material handling often come to mind. However, these hazards aren’t just confined to moving pallets and stacking shelves within the facility, but the loading and unloading of shipments as well outside on the loading dock. Depending on the season and type of warehouse, facilities may send and receive up to dozens of shipments each day – and a key task involved in any transfer of goods is the loading and unloading of the trucks that are moving to and fro.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the key hazards of unsafe truck loading and unloading procedures and the material handling solutions that can help streamline such tasks. Here’s what you need to know:
Dangers Involved in Loading and Unloading Trucks
From bruises and cuts to spinal injuries, loading and unloading trucks isn’t easy work. And if your workers aren’t trained on how to work safely, this work is more than just laborious – but potentially dangerous.
In fact, failure to adhere to a safe loading and unloading policy can result in an increased risk of falls, being struck by an object (or load), or getting caught in between two objects (or loads). Falls, being struck by something, and getting caught in between objects are three incident types that are part of OSHA’s “Fatal Four” accidents in the workplace.
Aside from the risk of bodily injury or even death, any incidents involving loading and unloading can be a real productivity drain for any warehouse – especially if the loading and receiving dock has to be closed for any period of time. This can push schedules and lead to missed deadlines. And while worker safety should be your most important metric, profitability, and the bottom line are also likely to be impacted.
How Lifts Help With Loading and Unloading Trucks Safely
One material handling solution to aid truck loading and unloading procedures is a dock lift. An alternative to using a ramp or incline for loading and unloading procedures, dock lifts are able to rise to the level of the truck bed to retrieve or deliver a product. This thereby provides a level surface for the load and a safer, streamlined means for getting goods on or off a truck.
Dock lifts are designed to work with semi-trucks, cargo vans, pickup trucks, box trucks, and more to streamline loading and unloading. And with the ability to transfer up to 20,000 pounds of product, dock lifts are applicable for just about any type of item.
Another nice thing about dock lifts is their sizing options. Dock lift beds range from 6 x 8 feet to 8 x 12 feet, so you can select the best size for your warehouse. Custom sizes are also available.
Finally, dock lifts are easy to use.
Contact A-Lined Handling Systems Today
For more information on the safety benefits of dock lifts and how they can help streamline truck loading and unloading, contact A-Lined Material Handling Systems today. As a leading provider of material handling solutions for industrial environments, we offer a variety of products – including dock lifts – to improve efficiency and safety in the workplace. Contact us today for more information.