The Loading Dock. The Most Overlooked Expense and Safety Liability

If docks were human, they’d likely have a terrible opinion of themselves: they’re perpetually overlooked, usually overworked, only get attention when they quit working, and prone to damage through no fault of their own. And working outside 24/7, 365 days a year does nothing for morale either.

It’s time to stop thinking about docks as simply another part of the building.

“It’s true – people think that because a dock plate is built right into the floor, it should last as long as the building,” says Walt Swietlik, Milwaukee-based Rite-Hite’s director of customer relations and sales support. “But your dock does need that TLC and regular maintenance.”

Swietlik says that it’s not necessarily full dock or dock component failure that indicates a problem.

“If all of a sudden, you’re getting a lot of calls about damaged products, that could be an indicator that your dock isn’t as efficient as it used to be,” he says. “Or if the trucking companies are starting to add detention or damage charges on a regular basis, that can be a dock issue.”

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