Your loading dock is a central hub of activity in your warehouse. The number of items that arrive and leave via this area every day is going to be quite large. Maintaining organization in this area is a must-have for your company’s success. How you operate your loading dock area is quite important, but how you design it is essential.
If your loading dock isn’t well designed from the beginning, you are not setting yourself up for success. Here are some components you need to keep in mind when designing your loading dock.
Consider the Design of Your Loading Dock Area
It seems like such a simple thing, but your loading dock area needs to be designed to make loading and unloading products seamless. For starters, you want your loading dock as close to your building as possible. It isn’t productive to transport goods over a long distance for either packing or unpacking. This extra distance leads to inefficiencies and the need to spend more on the payroll. Putting your dock directly by your building cuts back on this type of unnecessary spending.
If you require the use of a staging area for the loading and unloading of your trucks, this area also needs to be very close to your loading dock. If your staging area is too far away from your loading dock, this will also lead to wasted time and money via payroll and inefficiencies. When possible, your staging area needs to be directly by your loading dock. This way, you are taking your product travels the shortest distance possible to get to this area.
One design feature you should also consider is the approach area of your loading dock. You need this area to be sloped so water cannot pool in this area. Pooling water on your approach is just as dangerous as pooling water on a roadway. This could cause a truck to spin out and wreck in your loading dock area. A wreck like that could shut down your loading dock for an entire day and is an enormous safety hazard.
Make Sure to Include Safety Features in Your Loading Dock Design
Safety features are important in any commercial facility. They are even more crucial in a loading dock area. These docks facilitate the transport of large volumes of products, some of which are extremely heavy, not to mention the number of 18-wheel trucks that will use your docks every day. Without a focus on safety, there is the risk of injury to your workers and your product from all of these elements.
Lighting is essential in a loading dock. Your workers need to be able to see, as do drivers bringing in trucks. For loading docks that have multiple trucks coming in and out, stop & go lights are another feature worth investing in. This lets drivers know when to enter/exit the area and helps prevent collisions.
Each loading dock will need different safety features and not require every item on the market, but here are some of the additional ones you need to consider:
- Loading dock levelers, dock plates, and dock boards
- Wheel chocks and vehicle restraints
- Dock edge protection such as dock bumpers and edge guards
- Proper lighting and traffic controls
Don’t Forget to Protect Your Loading Dock Area from the Elements
The transport of goods doesn’t stop for inclement weather. You will need a way to protect your loading dock and your products from these elements. Invest in a covering or overhead cover for your loading dock. This will help protect your product and workers during events like rain or snow. If you need additional protection from the weather, consider adding dock shelters and seals in addition to any overhead covers.
Another protective item you need to think about is your exterior dock door. These doors protect your facility and your product. Don’t forget to consider your climate when selecting what material your exterior door is made of. Things like humidity will cause issues with your doors unless the correct materials are used.
Protect Your Loading Dock Area by Taking These Few Easy Steps
A loading dock area is the main hub of activity for your warehouse. For operations to flow properly, you need to make sure you take the proper steps. The design and layout of the area are essential, as is the installation of safety features. Make sure to use accessories that will help protect your dock and products from the elements and to have a strong exterior door that is the best material for your climate.
