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Dock levelers are equipment used to correct height differences between loading docks and truck beds, allowing for smooth loading and unloading. They consist of a heavy-duty platform that can tilt up or down to reach a truck bed and lock into place. Design considerations include weight tolerances and equipment management. Suppliers may offer rental or refurbished equipment and provide installation and safety training.
A loading ramp is a loading dock equipment that corrects for height differences to facilitate smooth loading and unloading. Loading docks have a fixed height and truck beds can vary in height depending on design and load. This can lead to a problem with load transfer. The leveler creates a gently sloping platform for equipment, allowing personnel to quickly transfer goods between the truck and the loading dock with minimal safety risk. Usually, dock levellers are fixed in place at a loading dock, although mobile models are also available.
These devices are sometimes known as dock plates or dock cards. A dock leveler consists of a heavy-duty platform mounted on a rolling frame. It can tilt up or down to reach a truck bed and lock into place. Equipment such as forklifts can be driven onto the dock leveler and into the truck to pick up or drop off supplies. When the job is done and the truck leaves, the grader can be returned to the neutral position to wait for the next truck.
Several design considerations go into the development of a dock leveler. The first is weight tolerances. The equipment used to move the cargo tends to be very heavy and the cargo adds to the weight of the cargo. The device must be able to withstand very heavy weights without slipping or warping. Very strong and durable metals are usually preferred for the deck and support struts, especially since the grader may be used numerous times a day.
Another problem is equipment management. Forklifts, pallet lifters, and other lifting and moving carts tend to be handled poorly and slowly. They cannot safely navigate steep slopes. Consequently, the dock leveler must be long enough to create a gentle angle, even when the height difference is significant. It might have a safety device to keep it from angled too steeply, or a company might have protocols to remind workers not to use extreme angles with the dock leveler.
Suppliers of dock leveling equipment may have machines available for rental to customers who want to try a device before buying one, and some suppliers also sell refurbished equipment. The company can send a technician to install the device and train employees in its safe, effective and appropriate use. It is important for a company to provide employees with clear safety training so they know how to use the device and how to respond to an emergency. For safety reasons, the weight limits on the dock leveler must be posted in a conspicuous position.
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