Loading docks are busy places with a variety of activities and hazards. Without proper precautions, accidents and injuries are likely

Loading docks can be hazardous places for employees to work. Hazards include:

  • Slipping on wet or oily surfaces
  • Tripping on broken floor surfaces
  • Falling off dock edges
  • Injuries from falls or unsecured dock plates
  • Injuries caused by motion if someone forgets to chock trailer wheels
  • Carbon monoxide exposure
  • Back injuries from heavy lifting
  • Injuries from run-ins with forklifts and other equipment

Here are some training tips for loading dock workers, courtesy of BLR's 7-Minute Safety

Keep Floors Clean, Dry, and in Good Condition

  • Place containers, packaging, tools, and other materials safely out of walking and driving areas.
  • Clean up and properly dispose of trash.
  • Clean up any spills immediately, and watch out for dripping rain, melting ice, etc.
  • Report any cracked or broken flooring.

Think you have no time to train? Think again. BLR's 7-Minute Safety Trainer helps you fulfill key OSHA-required training tasks in as little as 7 minutes. Try it at no cost and see!

Keep Dock Plates in Place

  • Check dock plate load capacity to be sure it can handle the load.
  • Secure movable dockboards into position so that they won't slip.
  • Slide, don't drop, dock plates into position.

Take Precautions to Prevent Falls

  • Walk, don't run.
  • Watch where you're going.
  • Don't engage in horseplay.
  • Stay away from edges.
  • Don't jump onto or off the loading dock.
  • Wear sturdy shoes with nonslip soles.

Work Safely with Trucks and Trailers

  • Check that truck and trailer wheels are chocked before loading or unloading.
  • Make sure drivers turn of motors to prevent carbon monoxide exposure.

Can you picture safety training in effective, 7-minute sessions? Get the details.

Load and Unload Correctly

  • Use forklifts, pallet jacks, hand trucks, and other mechanical aids rather than lifting and carrying whenever possible.
  • When you do lift, use the safe lifting technique (bend your knees and lift with your legs).
  • Wear snug-fitting work gloves to provide a good grip.
  • Load hand trucks with heavy items at the bottom, and keep the weight over the axle.
  • Balance and secure loads.
  • Keep load heights at a level you can see over.

Be Alert for Vehicles, Materials, and Other Workers

  • Watch out for forklifts and other workers moving around the dock.
  • Get out of the way when you hear a forklift horn.
  • Pay attention to materials on the dock that could fall or roll.
  • Wear a hard hat, eye protection, and hearing protection when required

More Articles on Safety Management