Any commercial facility with a loading dock area can benefit from having the right equipment in place. For example, loading dock seals and shelters can help improve efficiency and safety during deliveries and improve employees’ overall working conditions.
There are many different types of dock seals and shelters, and many can be customized to fit your facility’s specific needs. Let’s discuss these structures in more detail and how they can benefit your facility.
What are Loading Dock Seals?
A loading dock seal is a protective barrier that is installed around the loading dock’s opening. It may be a compression seal or an inflatable-style seal. The seal closes the space between the trailer and the dock, keeping cool air or heat inside your facility and pests, weather, and environmental pollutants out.
What are Loading Dock Shelters?
Loading dock shelters work a lot like loading dock seals, offering many of the same benefits. However, shelters are built by installing a frame around the loading dock’s opening to create an enclosure. As a result, shelters are better for larger dock doors and can accommodate different trailer sizes.
Unlike seals which press against the back of the trailer as it backs into the loading dock area, dock shelters work to enclose the trailer and protect the dock area from the elements.
Benefits of Loading Dock Seals and Shelters
Loading dock seals and shelters provide many benefits for your employees and your facility. You can use these structures across many applications, and nearly all industries can benefit. Providing a shelter or seal between the trailer and the outside environment is especially beneficial in climate-controlled settings.
So when a refrigerated trailer backs up to unload, dock seals and shelters help keep hot air from rushing in during the delivery. Plus, employees will feel more valued when you take steps to provide a more comfortable working environment in the loading dock area. You won’t have to worry about someone slipping on rain or ice or falling off the loading dock and getting hurt.
A seal or shelter also helps keep pests out of your facility. Outdoor pollutants like exhaust fumes and pollen also stay out, keeping your facility cleaner and safer. You’ll also benefit from energy savings during the hottest and coldest times of the year, and your products won’t be exposed to temperature fluctuations as often.
Protect Your Facility, Employees, and Products with the Right Loading Dock Equipment
Loading and unloading trucks can be dangerous tasks, with as many as 25% of industrial accidents happening in the loading dock area. Luckily, you can take a significant step to prevent workplace injuries by investing in dock shelters and seals.
Of course, keeping people safe is a top priority for any business owner. Still, installing the right equipment can also reap additional benefits like energy savings, pest reduction, better productivity, and less damage to your facility. Loading dock seals and shelters are a simple way to do all those things, and they’re easy to install in your facility.