Residents and businesses of New York City and other nearby areas of New York may want to learn more about why it is important to focus on safety when it comes to loading docks.
According to EHS Today, every loading dock should have a vehicle restraint. In the year 2017, there were 270,000 injuries reported in the transportation and warehousing industry. Did you know that more than 25% of all industrial-related accidents happen on the loading dock? Loading dock safety is important for a number of reasons, with accidents occurring through different sources.
Forklift accidents are dangerous
Forklift fall-through is one of the most dangerous. It happens when a business unloads a trailer, with the momentum of the forklift transferring to the trailer. It causes the trailer to move forward until it separates from the dock leveler.
In other cases, the driver of the truck pulls forward, thinking that loading is complete. However, it isn’t, and the forklift driver and forklift fall into the gap. The forklift may fall on the driver, crushing him with a weight similar to that of three cars.
What a restraint will do: Capture or block the trailer’s rear impact guard (RIG), sometimes called an ICC bar, securing the trailer to the loading dock until disengagement of the restraint.
OSHA requirements
During loading and unloading, OSHA requires that all vehicles are, at minimum, restrained by wheel chocks. While this will help, some drivers might think that all the truck driver has a requirement to do is set their brakes. Moreover, weather and wear and tear over time may affect wheel chocks.
A dock builder or longshoreman may receive injuries if the loading dock is not safe. Safety is an investment, and a loading dock is an example. Restraints and other safety measures, such as communication, may help make a safer work environment.
With 25% of industrial accidents happening at a loading dock, safety of workers is an important issue. Restraints for trucks is one answer; there are many more.
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