How to increase safety in loading bay areas

An estimated 25 per cent of all factory and warehouse accidents occur in this area.

This is a result of the high volume of traffic using loading bays, combined with the human element and the pressures to turn goods around quickly.

The substantial risks inherent in loading bay operation mean that regular risk assessments need to be undertaken to ensure that safety procedures are fit for purpose to prevent accidents.

In addition, personnel working within the dock need to be properly trained in the use of all equipment employed in the dock.

A system of safe working practices must be thoroughly integrated into the day-to-day working practices of dock operation.

Of the two types of loading bays - flat (ground level) and raised dock loading - the latter provides the greater potential for accidents to occur.

The fact that the dock is raised means that distracted personnel can fall off it, sustaining substantial injury, while even more severe injuries can be sustained by unwary forklift truck drivers if barriers are not used to shut off the vacant dock when it is not in use.

In the case of the flat loading bay, forklift trucks will raise goods from floor level into the trailer.

This seems straightforward, but personnel in the immediate vicinity of the loading must be considered.

The company must have a working set practice to cover this operation.

For example, it needs to be known which personnel, if any, are allowed into the loading area during the loading operation.

Secondly, it is important to establish whether the trailer driver is out of harm's way.

In today's pressurised operating regime, there is always the temptation to cut costs; the tighter the operating procedures and the closer they are enforced, the better.

One particular hazard resulting from pressurised operation on loading bays is unplanned trailer departure.

The driver drives off thinking he or she is clear to go; he or she might also be in a hurry to get to the next drop.

The results of this can be very serious, with possible serious injury to loading personnel and extensive damage to the loading bay and to the trailer/vehicle itself.

According to Wilks, the remedy for this problem is to install a traffic management system.

The traffic light system is said to provide a clear system of communication, which is essential to prevent harm to loading bay operators when lorries are backing into loading bays, for example.

The system works by using the control system of the loading bay door to interlock with the dock leveller.

This ensures that the driver knows when it is safe to pull off the dock - and when it is not.

Coupled with high-visibility light-emitting-diode traffic lights, this is one of the more commonly used safety systems in place.

The second major area to consider in the loading bay is powered loading bay doors.

In order to conform to legislation on the admissible forces for vertical closing doors, most companies utilise a contact safety edge.

This means that if the safety edge strikes a person or object, it will stop and return to the open position.

Sara Loading Bay Specialists provides a solution to this problem with a range of doors, which feature the non-contact Sara safety beam.

This patented design incorporates a special transmitter/receiver that travels ahead of the door's bottom rail.

Any solid obstruction entering this area will stop the door and reverse it automatically to the fully open safe position, preventing damage to personnel or goods by contact.