Category Archives: Loading Dock Equipment

Loading Dock Equipment provides efficient truck cargo loading and unloading at the dock.

Trailer Jack Stands Stabilizer

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Ratchet Truck Jack Stand

Beacon Ratchet Truck Jack Stands

Truck Stabilizing Jacks Help Improve Dock Area Safety

A common concern of any architectural specifier or building owner is loading dock safety. Loading docks which receive large amounts of traffic are especially prone to accidents and injuries. By supplying your loading dock with the correct safety equipment, you can greatly reduce the risk for accidents at the loading dock, as well as improving overall efficiency. One type of equipment is the trailer jack stand, which, when paired with other safety equipment, increases dock safety significantly.

Preventing Accidents Due to Trailer Creep

One common type of preventable accident-causing occurrence is trailer creep. Trailer creep is caused by fork trucks repeatedly entering and exiting the trailer, slowly causing the trailer to become separated from the dock leveler. If left unchecked, this could cause injuries and even deaths to the forklift operator or other workers. There are several variables that can affect trailer creep, including the weight of the fork truck with its load, suspension softness, type of loading dock crossing such as a dock leveler or dock board, as well as a lack of connection between the trailer and the tractor.

Though historically wheel chocks have been used to prevent this phenomenon, several things must be considered, such as wheel chocks slipping and the necessity of workers walking between trailers to set chocks. Wheel chocks and truck restraints can help reduce the chances of trucks accidentally rolling away during loading and unloading.

Preventing Trailer Upending with Trailer Jack Stands

A more reliable addition to wheel chocks at loading docks is a trailer jack stands stabilizer. They are useful for supporting a trailer’s front end when not connected to the truck at a dock. Truck stabilizing jacks help prevent trailer upending which occurs when a detached trailer tilting its front end down and rear end up, potentially harming any dock workers that are in, around, or crossing into the trailer. OSHA 1910.178(m)(7) requires the uses of chocks and sometimes trailer jacks when trailers are unattached to tractors.

Economy Trailer Jack Stand - BSJ series

Economy Trailer Jack Stand

Trailer upending can be caused by the trailer’s landing gear collapsing, often due to rust damage or metal fatigue. By securely supporting the trailer with a trailer jack stand in addition to wheel chocks and even manual or hydraulic truck restraints, the possibility of this type of loading dock accident is greatly reduced.

It is often recommended to use a trailer jack in the front two trailer corners. When a truck backs up to your dock, you have no idea how old it is, and subsequently how old the nose legs are. Over time, nose legs become weaker and weaker. When a forklift driver enters the trailer at full speed and drops the payload at the front of the trailer, there is a chance of the nose legs collapsing and injuring the fork truck operator and anyone else nearby.

Choosing the Correct Trailer Jack for Specific Applications

Several aspects must be considered when choosing a truck jack for your loading dock. Firstly, what kind of portability is required? Jacks with wheels reduce worker strain by eliminating the need to manually carry them. An extremely important consideration is the static and lifting capacity—how heavy is the trailer with the fork truck, payload, and dock workers inside?

Big Foot Trailer Stabilizing Jack - BBFSJ series

Big Foot Trailer Stabilizing Jack

Another considerable factor is what type of operating mechanism each trailer jack has. Common options include ratchet beam, hydraulic beam, hand crank, spin top, ratchet, and economy models. Finally, many different models with varying service ranges are available. How many inches must the trailer be raised in order to be level with the loading dock?

In conclusion, by combining various types of equipment, such as truck restraints, trailer jacks, wheel chocks, traffic signal dock lights, loading dock spotlights, and dock barricades, you can help reduce the risk of workplace accidents. Many different types of dock safety equipment is available in order to help you run the most safe and efficient loading dock possible.

Hinge Lip Dock Leveler vs. Loading Dock Lift

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Hinge Lip Hydraulic Dock Leveler - BEH5 series

Hinge Lip Hydraulic Dock Leveler

It  is important to specify the correct loading dock equipment to service your loading dock loading and unloading procedures. Today we’ll look at the Hinge Lip Dock Leveler versus the Scissor Dock Lift. Keep in mind that the maximum capacity of one semi truck axle is 20,000 lbs. according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Hinge Lip Dock Leveler

The average dock leveler in the United States has a static capacity of 20,000-lb., which is 12,000 lbs. true dynamic lateral load. However, many of Beacons dock levelers are also heavy capacity, handling up to 80,000 lbs.

A hinge lip dock leveler is supported by the rear structure welded to the back pit curb steel with the front bridge lying on the truck. This type of leveler is identified as an adjustable bridge to compensate the height difference of the dock and truck.

Hinge Lip Hydraulic Dock Leveler - BM5 series

Hinge Lip Manual Dock Leveler

Different types of hinge lip dock leveler exist. Both hydraulic dock levelers and manual dock levelers are available and the type you choose depends on three main pieces of information:

  • The capacity needed for daily loading dock operation. Manual levelers generally have a lower duty cycle as well as lower capacities ranging from 25,000 lbs. to 45,000 lbs., while hydraulic models have a higher duty cycle and capacities ranging from 25,000 lbs. to 80,000 lbs.
  • Whether you want to manually operate your leveler via a pull-chain or if you’d rather have a push-button control, electric-hydraulic model which has many automatic control features, making it safer for a high-traffic area.
  • Your budget. Manual loading dock levelers are an economical option, while hydraulic loading dock levelers provide easy hydraulic operation procedures and higher capacities.

 

Scissor Dock Lift Hydraulic Dock Leveler - BWL series

Scissor Dock Lift Hydraulic Dock Leveler

Loading Dock Lifts

A scissor dock lift deck edge is not welded to the building on one end like a hinge lip pit dock leveler (mentioned above) and is classified as a “free-standing lift.”

All scissor docks are rated for true dynamic lift force. The average unit has a capacity of 5,000 lbs. to 12,000 lbs. Beacon has a BSLD scissor dock lift heavy duty series that ranges from 15,000 to 30,000 lbs of lift force. These units are used in heavy capacity applications.

The type of scissor dock lift you choose depends on the capacity, the deck size, and the raised height needed. Scissor dock lifts models range in height from 60” to 84” with deck widths ranging from 48” to 96” and lengths from 72” to 120”.

When determining the proper capacity of a dock leveler, verify the total gross weight, which is payload and forklift.  All scissor docks are rated with a center load and should never be cantilevered. Scissor dock side and axle loads can range from 50% to 86% of the center load, depending on the model and application.

Beacon can help you determine the correct product and model for your specific application needs.

Co-Author: Jenn G. 5/4/13

Beacon HPK dock leveler passes MH 30.1 ANSI Standard

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Beacon Industries, Inc. a material handling Equipment Company is proud to present the HPK line of Loading Dock Levelers, which meets the strict requirements for a government institute establishing standards for the United States.  Event ID: 6565

The Beacon HPK hydraulic dock leveler has passed and is certified with the MH 30.1 ANSI Standard for the Safety, Performance and Testing of Dock Levelers Devices. The objective of the test is to perform dynamic and static loading testing. The dock leveler description was a four movement hydraulic dock leveler rated at 30,000 lbs capacity.

The test description summary included a cyclic 30,000 lb. load applied at mid-span of the dock leveler through a 3” wide by 1” thick contact surface of material with 80 shore “A” hardness.  The contact of the material extended across the full width of the loading dock leveler.  The loads were applied and removed 50,000 times.

Dock Leveler

Standard Beacon HPK Hydraulic Dock Leveler, rated for 30,000 lb dynamic force.

In addition, a cyclic 30,000 lb load was applied directly over the juncture of the lip and platform of the dock leveler through a 3” wide by 1” thick contact surface of material with 80 shore “A” hardness.  The contact of the material extended across the full width of the loading dock leveler.  The loads were applied and removed 50,000 times.

Finally, a 15,000 lb load was applied through an 8” wide by 3” long by 1” contact surface of material with 80 shore “A” hardness footprint centered at the midpoint of the unreinforced section.

The HPK hydraulic leveler has been manufactured and in the field starting in the early 1950’s.  However this specific 30,000 HPK dock leveler testing was accomplished between December 29, 2009 and January 2010.

The test model had negligible, permanent deformation (less than the 0.060” allowed by the ANSI specifications).  This also pertains to the localized, 15,000 lb loading of the deck plate where as much as 0.250” distortion is allowed by ANSI.