Dock Plate Safety

Unloading cargo is a serious procedure. You must be aware of all the components you are using in this process, thus protecting your employees as well as ingoing and outgoing product and materials. Dock plate function is critical to this.

Dock Plate vs. Dock Board

• Sometimes, dock plate and dock board mean the same thing. Often though, a dock plate is fashioned from aluminum and the board from steel. When this is the case, you should not expect the plate to withstand the same pay load, so nothing motorized should be used to cross it. Instead, only use dollies or hand-trucks.

Condition

• As with all safety equipment, you need to constantly monitor the condition of your dock plate. Any cracks should be brought to a supervisor's attention, and curbs as well as anchoring positions should be routinely examined for function and integrity. Don't ever use a mock-up or "makeshift" plate, regardless of the duration of use. When purchasing a plate, check to see if the treading on it is of a suitable quality.

Basic Safety

• You should always follow those procedures that are suggested or approved by your company and the manufacturer of the dock plate. In 2004, two California workers were killed by a dock plate that fell from its lifted position. Although the company had a safety bar for underneath the dock, they weren't using it at the time. Additionally, the workers performed the lift in a way contrary to the company's policy.