![]() How is the policy of using wheel chocks being enforced?.Is a spare set of wheel chocks available?.Has visibility of the trailer wheels been provided to workers that ensure wheel chocks are in place?.Are workers required to walk between trailers to set and remove wheel chocks?.Will the surface of the drive cause the selected wheel chock to slip, causing trailer movement?.Historically, wheel chocks have been used to prevent dock separation however, when using wheel chocks, consider the following questions: OSHA regulation requires the use of restraints when loading and unloading trucks and trailers. Lack of connection of the trailer to a tractor.Type of transition between the trailer and the forklift (i.e.Weight and speed of the forklift and its load.Known as trailer creep, it is the repetitive forward motion of the trailer. The motion of a forklift entering and exiting a trailer can cause separation between the trailer and the dock leveler. They may even result in the death of an operator or pedestrian. When a forklift is involved in an accident on a loading dock, the injuries are likely to be severe. ![]() This communication can include lights as part of the vehicle restraint system, that signals to the driver when the truck is and is not secured to the dock.Ĭontact Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP in Illinois today for help with cases involving dock injuries, other work injuries, and other types of workers’ compensation cases.Missing wheel chocks or a vehicle-restraint device at your dock? REQUEST QUOTE ![]() Trucks in most cases also can drive right over wheel chocks.īesides installing the equipment of a vehicle restraint system to bind a truck to a loading dock, another important safety feature is communication.Ĭommunication between dockworkers and truck drivers is the key to safety in the loading dock. A gravelly drive or wet or icy conditions can reduce the function of wheel chocks. Various factors can make wheel chocks ineffective and lead to truck creep. Wheel chocks are wedge-shaped devices made of sturdy material and shoved against a truck’s wheels to prevent movement. If the goal is to prevent a truck from moving away from a loading dock, wheel chocks are not the answer. Even more discouraging, however, would be the millions of dollars siphoned by loading dock accidents and injuries to workers.Īnother plus? Investing in vehicle restraint to prevent injuries on loading docks could lower a company’s insurance rates. These costs might seem unattractive for a company with dozens of loading docks and forklifts. These restraints or “dock locks” cost from $1,500 – $4,500 depending on whether they are manually operated or electronic. These devices are installed on loading docks and secure the truck to the dock, sometimes with hooks that exert upward pressure on the truck’s rear impact guard to prohibit movement during loading or unloading. Using vehicle restraint can prevent injuries on loading docks. HOW VEHICLE RESTRAINT CAN BENEFIT COMPANIES When the forklift leaves the trailer, it falls into the gap. The forklift driver often falls out or tries to escape, and the forklift falls on them. The gap between truck and loading dock also can be created if the truck driver thinks loading or unloading is complete and pulls away from the dock prematurely. The momentum of the forklift can transfer to the trailer, causing the truck to move forward and separate from the dock. The forklift fall-through is among the most dangerous. This can happen as a trailer is being loaded or unloaded. Over a quarter of all industrial accidents happen at the loading dock. Only the construction industry had more work-related deaths than the transportation and warehousing industry, with 924 in 2017 and 959 in 2016. That industry experienced 819 deaths in 2017, an increase of over 7 percent, or 55, over 2016’s fatality total of 764. In 2017, there were 270,000 injuries reported in the transportation and warehousing industry. AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PREVENTING DOCK INJURIES Vehicle restraint can prevent injuries on loading docks by securing trucks to docks and is among the safety features recommended by EHS Today, an occupational safety and health magazine. Failing to prioritize safety can kill dock workers if at a busy warehouse the truck disengages from the dock and the forklift tumbles into the gap. The average forklift weighs 9,000 pounds, three times that of a car. ![]() Here’s why every loading dock should have a truck restraint:
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