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Truck Restraints are Essential for Safety and Security at Loading Docks
Truck restraints are widely used in the shipping, transport and warehouse industry for ensuring loading dock safety and security.
Sometimes called vehicle restraints, truck restraints are devices that attach to a dock door and provide a mechanism for a trailer to be locked into position at a loading dock, preventing movement of the trailer while it is locked. Warehouse managers use them to bolster safety for forklift operators, as well as improve security for an unattended cargo trailer.
According to Rite-Hite Corporation, OSHA’s “First Report of Serious Accidents” looked at 229 forklift incidents from 1985 to 1990 and found that more than 10% of serious forklift accidents involve the drop off at the dock edge. A single forklift accident at a loading dock can cost an employer more than $1 million due to worker’s compensation, damage to products and equipment, punitive or compensatory damages and increased insurance costs.
Truck Restraints Reduce Risk & Liability
One of the main causes of forklift accidents at loading docks is due to an issue called trailer creep, where a trailer is separated from the dock during loading or unloading. The trailer must be level with and close enough to the dock for a loaded forklift to drive across onto the trailer safely. A forklift can weigh three times as much as a car, and the forward motion of the forklift while driving onto the trailer can slowly push the trailer away from the dock, resulting in trailer creep, which is an unsafe situation for the forklift operator and bystanders.
OSHA requires the setting of truck brakes and wheel chocks to be placed to prevent movement of trailers while unloading. While wheel chocks are essential, they are not foolproof. They can be removed by individuals, driven over due to the powerful tractor trailer engine, or unable to stay in place due to icy pavement underneath. Traditional wheel chocks have no features that can communicate their status to the driver or the warehouse personnel. The superior approach to restraining a vehicle is a vehicle restraint system, which provides a mechanical connection from the trailer to the dock, preventing the trailer from moving until the dock operators release the vehicle. This provides safety to personnel, and security of the trailer contents while it may be left unattended.
There are numerous types of vehicle restraints. The best choice will depend on the particulars of the truck and the warehouse. Automatic restraints use the rear impact guard to connect the trailer to the restraint system.
Some categories of truck restraints include:
- Automatic vehicle restraints can position themselves and secure the rear of the trailer using a capture hook that prevents any premature movement of the trailer until dock personnel release the trailer. These advanced systems feature a light communication system similar to a stop light that provides visual indication of the trailer restraint status, and also app control to view the status from connected devices. These systems use a motor and gears to keep the hook continuously engaged.
- Non impact hydraulic restraint systems can be face mounted to the front of the loading dock, offering a low profile design, hydraulic operation and LED light communication system to indicate status of the restraint.
- A manual vehicle restraint system is an economical choice, using a lever type action to engage the restraint. These can feature manual status signs or communication to remote status lights.
- Wheel based restraint systems that work similarly to a wheel chock but provide mechanical linkage to the dock structure and offer connection to a control system that integrates with status lights and apps.
- Standalone wheel chocks that offer communication to a control unit for status messages. These can be deployed to a wide variety of dock setups at a lower cost than mechanical or hydraulic driven restraint systems. These do not resolve all shortcomings of wheel chocks but they provide increased safety and ease of use at a low cost.
Truck restraints increase safety for dock workers, forklift operators and truck drivers. In addition, they can go a long way toward improving security for a trailer filled with high-value products that might be left at a dock door overnight. These systems are capable of integrating with security and building management systems to allow for increased transparency and monitoring.
Warehouse personnel and truck drivers should be trained on the proper use of truck restraint systems to ensure safety to forklift drivers and bystanders, and to prevent theft of expensive cargo. Advance Door offers truck restraint inspection and installation in Cleveland and surrounding areas. When you contact our Cleveland dock equipment experts for an inspection of a truck restraint at your dock, the process will likely involve:
- A visual inspection.
- Functional testing.
- Alignment check.
- Safety interlocks & sensors check.
- Review of control panel and lights.
- Examination of power source and electrical connections.
Advance Door Co. provides dock equipment installation, repair, and replacement throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.
Additional Resources:
Chocking of Tractor Trailers under the Powered Industrial Truck Standard, OSHA, October 19, 1999
Dangers at the Dock, Safety Online, May 3, 2000
More Blog Entries:
Cleveland Dock Equipment Pros Can Inspect Truck Restraints and Dock Locks, October 14, 2023