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You and your customers invest a great deal of time and effort to get goods to and from a loading dock. That fact makes it essential that the loading dock is equipped and maintained in a manner that allows it to maximize, and not hinder, shipments. Fortunately, there are now a number of superior products available to meet this specific objective.
Matching the Equipment to the Job
Virtually all active loading docks will have some form of a dock leveler to accommodate different types of trucks and loads. However, the potential for maximizing your loading dock is greatly increased when you look at such additional equipment as:
Dock Bumpers. A modest investment in dock bumpers not only prevents expensive repairs to docks and trucks. These practical additions to even low-traffic docks prevent lost time and enhance productivity.
Door Seals. Another way to keep productivity at the max is to ensure you have door seals that make your dock all-weather. This nifty addition to any dock protects both workers and merchandise, and you find options for any environment
Dock Plates. While dock plates are a popular choice for many loading docks, the simple dock plate is also a practical and economical way to make loading and unloading trucks easier with manual or electric pallet trucks.
Yard Ramps. A great solution for many situations is the use of a yard ramp that allows access to the dock or trailer from ground level. This is also a great solution to periodic high-demand situations.
Dock Boards. An excellent solution to any situation where there is a gap between the loading dock and delivery trucks, you’ll find dock boards in a wide range of designs and capacities.
It’s the Little Things that Count
While the above items offer added efficiencies and productivity, there are also a number of other items that will make your dock safer and even more versatile. For instance, wheel risers are excellent for raising the bed level of a truck to match the dock without a leveler. Those applications and others make rubber wheel chocks an important addition to any working dock. These inexpensive chocks secure trucks to the dock and prevent dangerous shifting.
When it comes to safety, every working dock takes a high level of vigilance and clear communications. You can take simple steps to make keep your team alert with such practical tools as specially designed traffic lights, traffic signs, and truck restraints.
You’ll get a great return on investment when you beef up your loading dock with any of these affordable items.
