Is your warehouse loading dock safe?

Safety technology is advancing – so why are materials handling and logistics workers still being injured?

Loading docks have always been amongst the main accident hotspots in our warehouses. This dynamic area of intersecting activities, full of forklifts, trailers, pallet trucks and pedestrians, combines with the height of the dock itself to create potentially hazardous situations. Eureka has written previously on safety equipment and software solutions designed to help manage loading dock risks. Gian Schiava reports on the situation today and highlights further advances in dock safety technology.

To assess the current scale of the problem, let’s see what data other experts and researchers have shared recently. In America(1), the most common workplace accidents seem to be slips, trips and falls. This category accounts for 27 incidents per 100,000 workers. It’s also the second-most common cause of workers’ compensation claims.

Furthermore, falls from loading dock openings are amongst that country’s most common types of forklift accident. Approximately 7,000(!) such incidents occur every year. Considering most of these falls are more than a metre, the damage to equipment, products and workers can be catastrophic. Unfortunately, they continue to occur way too often.

Closer to home, the Dutch logistics sector(2) registered 13 fatalities in 2023 (an increase over the year before), making it the sector with the most fatal accidents. In addition, it has a bad reputation when it comes to non-fatal accidents and absenteeism. The figures for this category also show an increase over the last five years.

As in previous years, and comparable with the American situation, ‘falls’ emerge as the most common accident type in 2023. Looking at all accident investigations, forklifts and pallet trucks, along with various kinds of ladders, are often involved. These accidents happen mostly in the following sectors: trade (31%), industry (27%), and transport and storage (26%).

New technology to tackle old loading dock problems

One of Eureka’s previous articles on loading dock safety examined various solutions that were available at that time. Specialised manfacturers like Stertil, ASSA ABLOY and Rite-Hite offered solutions like special trailer lights, trailer supports, flexible barriers for door openings, sturdy wheel chocks, audible and visual alarms, and inventive vehicle restraints. Some of the restraint approaches even function as basic interlock systems – in other words, solutions where two mechanisms or functions are mutually dependent. For example, this might mean you can’t unlock the wheel restraint unless the dock door is closed.

How have the industry’s loading dock solutions further evolved?

First of all, the interlock concept has taken some significant steps. For example, Rite-Hite’s Vu™ Hazard Recognition and Control system combines no fewer than six separate products to help protect people from hazards around the loading dock. One component uses motion sensing technology on each side of the dock door, which extends a blue light onto the deck of the dock leveller. When interlocked with controls, vehicle restraints cannot be disengaged if the system senses motion inside the trailer.

In another example, ASSA ABLOY embeds sensors into dock levellers, doors and other equipment to collect valuable data on factors like loading times, equipment usage and even weather conditions. This data is then analysed by the system, allowing managers to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Connectivity is also key for various new solutions. IoT (Internet of Things) sensors are inserted into items of equipment, so they can communicate with each other and with central control systems. This real-time communication allows for automated adjustments, like adjusting dock height to match incoming trailers and hence avoid risks due to differences in level.

Even the most talked-about technology, artificial intelligence, is deployed to create a safer work environment on the dock. With AI-powered systems, we can further improve situations with real-time hazard detection and immediate response capabilities. For example, AI can monitor forklift movements and identify certain behaviours, such as speeding or improper loading techniques. These trigger automatic alerts and interventions to prevent accidents before they happen. An impressive example comes from Protex AI. This platform with multiple safety technologies uses CCTV cameras and machine learning algorithms to predict potential hazards based on both historical data and real-time observations. This and other advanced software solutions are available today to reduce all those risks to a bare minimum. But is this enough?

The human factor remains the foundation of enhanced warehouse safety

Despite all these modern and sometimes cutting-edge technologies, not all businesses seem to be able to prevent their staff from getting hurt. Perhaps we tend to underestimate the most important factor behind all of these solutions: human dedication to the cause.

Wim Zwikker, Managing Director at Rite-Hite Benelux, explains: “We now have all these great safety tools, but we cannot emphasise enough that it all starts with creating a proper safety culture. Continuous training, safety audits and inspections are only a few examples of what you need within your daily activity to be able to seriously reduce risks on the loading dock. And when in doubt, ask an expert or a consultant to help you improve your situation. Combine this safety culture with modern equipment, and only then will you be able to get those awful accident statistics down.”

Sources of statistics:

1. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

2. Arbeidsinspectie (Labour Inspection) Occupational Accidents Monitor 2023