Loading Dock Hazards
Loading docks in warehouses and industrial facilities present several common hazards, which can pose significant risks to workers if not properly managed.
This forklift operator drove off the edge of the dock.
These hazards include:
- Falls from Docks: Workers can fall off the edges of docks, especially if there are no guardrails or the area is poorly lit. This risk is heightened when loading or unloading is done in inclement weather conditions.
- Forklift Accidents: Forklifts operating on loading docks can lead to accidents, including forklifts driving off the dock, collisions with pedestrians or other vehicles, and overturning due to uneven surfaces or improper handling.
- Trailer Creep or Dock Walk: This occurs when the trailer gradually moves away from the dock due to the repeated impact of forklifts entering and exiting, creating a dangerous gap.
- Slips, Trips, and Falls: Water, ice, oil on surfaces, debris, and uneven flooring can cause slips, trips, and falls. This hazard causes the greatest number of loading dock accidents (falls to same surface).
- Vehicle Exhaust and Emissions: Diesel exhaust from trucks can pose a health hazard, especially in poorly ventilated areas.
- Load Falls: Improperly secured loads can shift or fall during unloading or loading, posing a risk to workers.
- Trailer Entry Accidents: Workers can be injured when entering trailers that are not properly secured or have unstable flooring.
- Doorway Hazards: Collisions can occur at dock doorways due to limited visibility or if doors are unexpectedly closed.
- Manual Handling Injuries: Workers lifting, carrying, and moving goods are at risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
- Environmental Hazards: Extreme temperatures, poor lighting, and noise can also pose risks on loading docks.
Real-life Accident
Employee Killed When Forklift Backs off Loading Dock
At 3:30 a.m. on August 22, 2023, an employee was operating a forklift, scanning a piece of freight. The employee backed the forklift off the loading dock, falling with the forklift to ground level. The employee was killed. The employee sustained multiple head/facial injuries, neck hemorrhaging, multiple rib fractures, a laceration to the right lung, hemorrhaging in the chest cavity, and a L4 vertebrae fracture.Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-4. What is the most common hazard associated with warehouse loading docks?
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