Many parts of the U.S. have felt the full force of a ‘bombogenesis’ nor’easter and overall freezing temperatures this season, making it a great time to consider ways to make sure your facility is protected against mother nature.  Operations occurring at dock doors such as the unloading and loading of trailers is a great area to begin because there are many simple ways to save money on energy bills and ensure worker safety and comfort. Here are three pieces of dock door equipment to consider for your facility.

1. Dock Door Seals

Dock seals are inexpensive and effective first lines of defense for keeping mother nature outside and operators safe and comfortable inside.  These are made of compressible pads that form a gasket-type seal around trailers as they back up to the dock door.  The seal reduces gaps where bad weather and extreme temperatures can enter the building.  When considering dock seals for your facility, be sure to look at multiple options as there are variations in material durability and sealing efficiency between models.

2. Fans/Lights

Fans that aid in air circulation are beneficial especially as temperatures become more extreme.  These can be placed or installed near the dock door to replace hot musty air, or cold dry air in the trailer with clean comfortable air from the warehouse providing a satisfactory work environment for fork truck drivers and other operators.  Lights can also be installed along with the fans to provide suitable light for unloading and loading trailers.  Implementing steps like these will greatly increase working environment conditions, especially for operators who unload trailers by hand.

3. Cleaning Equipment

For small amounts of residual precipitation not caught by dock seals, it’s important to have cleaning supplies such as brooms and mops close by.  Trash and recycling receptacles should also be located nearby to discard any items that might cause tripping or slipping hazards.  These steps help to ensure that the work environment remains safe and comfortable. The material handling industry is constantly making advances in technology and implementation which holds true from the highest level of advanced automation down to dock door equipment and operations.  Dock door equipment may seem small in comparison to the grand scheme of systems, but as all great supervisors, managers, and directors know, it is the small things that can make the biggest difference. Contact us or visit our online store for the tools and information you need to make your loading docks safer and more comfortable.

Author: Austin Galaska