Purchase Tacks: How to Buy Mobile Yard Ramps

Do you want to establish or upgrade your business’s goods-handling hardware? If so, you need to make a choice and nothing beats an informed choice. This guide contains all you need to know to make a successful purchase with a wholly reliable outcome.

First, ensure that the product you’re seeking is the right one for the task. In this instance, we must ask what mobile yard ramps are and what they can do for you and your business.

A mobile yard ramp provides a path from a truck’s load bed to a loading bay’s floor. After it’s positioned with the aid of a forklift truck, the ramp should be secured with chains; wheel chocks are also used to prevent movement. Mobile yard ramps can accommodate the vertical movement of the trailer on its suspension as the payload changes, and when the trailer is emptied (or filled), the ramp may be taken away and stowed pending its next use. Many ramps have integral side lifting pockets, which allow a forklift to load a ramp on to a truck, or to store it vertically against a wall.

These are the common uses of mobile yard ramps but a ramp can also form part of a modular dock. Ramps can also offer a pathway between a loading bay and the yard it serves. For this purpose, they may be fixed on a semi-permanent basis.

Now we know what mobile yard ramps can do, we can consider the advantages they offer. These are twofold, the most important being in terms of safety. Personnel working in or on a trailer, using a pallet truck to move goods rearwards for offloading, risk being struck by a moving forklift or falling off . Using a mobile yard ramp helps negate this. In addition, a standing truck gathers no funds. A mobile yard ramp appreciably reduces this downtime.

Are all mobile yard ramps the same? In general, they are. Four capacities are available, the standard seven, ten, 12 or 15-tonne ramps handling the vast majority of loading/unloading tasks. Such ramps can cater for a wide variety of load bed heights yet maintain a practicable gradient. A well-designed ramp will have safety raves, which are vertical barriers running longitudinally along the sides of the ramp. These are included to prevent a forklift from being driven off the side of the ramp.

Non-standard ramps can meet specific requirements. For example, a longer-than-usual level section, to allow tall, lengthy loads to pass beneath a trailer’s roof, can be given by a specially tailored ramp. Similarly, wider than standard ramps are available. Mobile yard ramps can also employ specialised extras, such as handrails and trailer safety jacks, to enhance their suitability for the job.

Mobile yard ramps have a tough job to do in all weathers so they must themselves be tough. Steel construction is typical and using this material effectively lets the ramps’ structure handle the dynamic loads imposed safely and efficiently. This in turn gives a long service life, reducing the need for fatigue maintenance. A scratch and chip-resistant finish gives the ramps a workmanlike appearance. Such a finish, especially one with rust-inhibiting qualities, also enhances service life.

A mobile yard ramp must, by definition, be movable. Manoeuvrability is to be expected but well-designed ramps are also easy to use. Finely balanced ramps with strong, urethane-tyred wheels are easily moved with a forklift, especially if they have an appropriate push/pull attachment. Look for safety raves of an adequate height and ensure that accessories including wheel chocks, safety chains and anchor brackets aren’t optional extras. Refinements such as side lifting pockets and operation using a fitted, hand-operated hydraulic pump should be included as standard. An expanded metal open-mesh working surface promotes grip and reduces weight.

We know what makes a good mobile yard ramp but what makes a good ramp manufacturer? A long history of manufacturing, servicing and maintenance is hard to beat, so seek a company with experience. Some companies also offer mobile yard ramp hire; this allows them to frequently and regularly monitor their products’ usability and longevity. Respected companies operate to the international standard ISO 9001, which is far and away the world’s most advanced quality framework. It’s also worth finding a company with membership of the Association of Lift Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM). Companies with this are certain to be aware of, and comply with, all current legislation.

There are significant advantages to buying British. Finding products from a ‘local’ manufacturer allows you to visit the factory and see items under construction. While it may be distressingly easy for a product’s shortcomings to be disguised with a smart finish and impressive badges, poor workmanship and/or cheap materials cannot be concealed during manufacture. In addition, look for a company that manufactures in-house, so it can cater for the majority of special requirements. Moreover, quality control standards are a matter of pride to any good manufacturer; don’t be afraid to ask about them.

This brings us to a crucial point. Even an impressive list of specifications can’t answer every question. For example, do you know exactly what type of mobile yard ramp you need? Can you give the exact weight capacity figures you want? Do you know the weight of the goods, the weight of what contains or carries them and the weight of your pallet trucks and forklifts? If you don’t, you’d be well advised to make a checklist. However, a good manufacturer will help you arrive at an exact product specification. This is particularly important as an incorrect specification can be an extremely costly mistake. Similarly, a massive range of products is offered by a huge array of suppliers but ‘cheapest’ rarely means ‘best’.

With the aid of the above, you should be able to tick all the boxes, finding the mobile yard ramps with the embellishments you need at a realistic price. Arguably more importantly, you’ll be able to find a trustworthy manufacturer who will give you an attractive quote supported by all the advice and information you need. Good hunting!

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of mobile yard ramps. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Seal Appeal: Dock Seals' Saving Graces

A modern loading dock may be extremely efficient in many ways. Capable cargo handling depends on a number of factors but two specific features stand out over the rest. Moreover, they interrelate.

The two allied notions of getting the trucks to the goods and getting the goods to the trucks sound simple. They are simple enough but in relating with one another, they have a downside. Placing the truck to be loaded close to the dock that will load it is an obvious requirement. Having an aperture that allows the goods to be taken on or off the truck is equally obvious; the resulting disadvantage isn't necessarily so apparent. Simply, where goods can go, so can wind, rain, sleet and snow, which is why a means of protecting the goods concerned, as well as the personnel handling them, is needed.

There are two devices for keeping the elements at bay, while also keeping the expensively-heated interior of the loading dock at a comfortable working temperature. Dock shelters and dock seals both offer weather protection and the maintaining of loading dock temperature; here, we'll look at the latter.

To work effectively, dock seals must meet a number of needs. To work effectively over time, they must meet further needs. The good news is that, as they are made to a proven design and constructed using modern materials, good quality dock seals will do what their name implies over a lengthy service life.

So, what must dock seals be capable of doing? As the compressible medium that temporarily makes the loading dock and a truck into a single unit, they have to be able to…

• Accept the compression load imposed as the truck is reversed against them.
• Spread this compression load evenly over their mounting surface.
• Maintain a heat-retaining, weather-resistant seal between the truck and loading dock.
• Resume their original profile quickly when the truck is driven away.

Modern dock seals fulfill these demands without demur, by courtesy of the experience that goes into making them and through the materials used in their manufacture. They have an energy-absorbing core that transmits the load the truck puts on them evenly around the aperture they're protecting. Their external skin is resistant to chafing, proof against damage by heat and penetration, and is capable of re-forming quickly even in low temperatures.

What happens if the truck is pressing too hard against the dock seal? In a word, nothing, because over compression cannot happen. Generally, the maximum allowable compression (i.e. the minimum permitted thickness of the dock seal) is in the order of 150 millimetres. A buffer stop is incorporated into the installation and this allows the truck being unloaded to compress the dock seal so far and no further.

This is all well and good but for two parameters relating specifically to trucks. In an ideal world, trucks' tails are vertical and a dock seal with a square section profile will work perfectly. The world, however, isn't always ideal and some trucks don't have a vertical tail. This is solved by the availability of dock seals with an angular section profile. Similarly, vehicle heights vary; to cater for this, dock seals can have adjustable head pad units – problem solved.

As will now be clear, dock seals provide a workable, efficient solution to keeping goods clean and dry, and the loading dock warm, in all conditions. Choose a high quality, well designed, durable dock seal installation and efficiency will be enhanced.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of dock seals. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Weather Eye: Looking after Loading Bay Equipment

Loading bay equipment represents a major investment to any cargo-handling concern. True, much of it is made of particularly heavy metal but like any other mechanism, it can't look after itself. The upside is that, in many instances, loading bay equipment maintenance is relatively simple. The downside is the dreaded 'D word', downtime.

Loading bay equipment may be costly in the first instance but it can pay for itself. Downtime can be costly and the frustrating thing is that it can be avoided with a little intelligent attention. There is, however, a caveat to be borne in mind. Many loading bay managers budget for and use professional equipment servicing and maintenance teams, for a reason. There are certain tasks in servicing and maintaining this hardware which are best left to the pros, for the sake of safety as well as that of continued usability. Nevertheless, loading bay equipment can be monitored and simple maintenance and servicing tasks can be carried out.

So how do you monitor loading bay equipment? The answer to this is perfectly simple and concerns developing a good habit within the workplace. What habit? We can give this the acronym 'E.E.E.' and apply what it stands for. Examination, Evaluation and Execution is a trio of words that is easy enough to remember; let's see how they work.

Anyone employed in a fully equipped loading bay soon develops a sense of why each piece of equipment is present and what each does. The first part of the 'E.E.E.' principle stems from this. Appoint one person to 'do his/her rounds' say, once a week, checking over each part of the loading bay equipment in turn. Is it all working as it should? Could it be better? Is it broken? These questions are easily answered.

The process of examination needn't be limited to a weekly round. As loading bay personnel necessarily use items of equipment on a daily basis, any shortcomings could be reported as and when they develop. A marker board and pen in the loading bay could be used for personnel to log the fault(s).

The second step, evaluation, is important. Americans say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"; in this context, "If you don't know how to fix it, don't try" would be more appropriate. Should the problem be a simple one, a matter of applying lubrication or tightening a fastening, personnel can go on to the next step. However, should a less amenable problem arise, it makes sense to seek professional help. This should be done, no matter how tempting a fast and easy fix might be. If a repair was to be carried out inexpertly, it could lead to a real, imminent or actual danger to personnel or equipment. Apart from the evident risks of damage or injury, it's more than likely that such a repair would render the relevant insurance cover null and void.

This leads us to the notion of execution and whether it can or cannot be done. Once again, it's a matter of applying intelligent forethought. For example, if some pivot or track squeals loudly in use, lubricating it is hardly rocket science. Similarly, a loose bolt, a blown bulb or the like can be sorted out quickly and easily. More complex repairs might not be so easily executed.

In the end analysis, the 'E.E.E.' principle has value in ensuring that most loading bay equipment failures can be discovered before they happen. Even if the necessary repair or refurbishment is a matter for experts, finding the trouble early can save money, and avoid the dreaded downtime.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of loading bay equipment. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Level Playing Field: Dock Leveller Facts and Figures

Loading bay personnel face problems every day but one everyday problem can be solved with the aid of an essential piece of equipment. The snag lies in any discrepancy between the height of a truck's load deck and that of the loading bay's platform. Should a mismatch exist, it has to be bridged and this is what a dock leveller does.

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? In a way, it is but there are caveats of which every loading bay manager must be aware. Such as? Well, like any 'link' in the loading bay's chain of components, the dock leveller has to be capable of handling the heavy loads involved. When bearing these loads in mind, it isn't merely a matter of considering the avoirdupois weight of the goods concerned. This may be significant but a dock leveller also has to accommodate the weight of the means by which the goods are moved, be they trolleys, palette trucks or forklifts. In this context, the weight of the individuals handling the goods is insignificant but the dock leveller must also cater for the additional, near-horizontal loads applied by the moving and braking, especially of powered equipment. Load ratings of 6,000 or 9,000kg are popular but it's common for specially rated dock levellers to be offered in a variety of sizes.

The two main types of dock levellers share steel construction and feature proven aspects including an anti-slip deck and a corrosion-resistant finish. The difference exists in the lip that lies adjacent to the truck's load deck. This may be simply hinged but a telescopic lip version is also available. The dock leveller's height adjustment works equally well in either case but a telescopic lip also allows fine-tuning of the dock leveller to the relative positions of itself and the truck bed. Unsurprisingly, a European standard, EN 1938, applies to dock levellers; make sure the chosen unit complies.

Dock levellers may be mounted in a purpose-built pit and there are suspended frame versions for use with tail lifts. Moreover, dock levellers offer a mechanism that makes for ease of use. An electro-hydraulic operating system, powered by an electric motor that has a low-voltage control unit, makes applying the relative adjustments not only child's play but also the work of moments.

While they have to be visibly tough, dock levellers must also have hidden strengths. In a correctly designed unit, the support frame will transmit loads from the truck's deck without incurring fatigue and consequent loss of structural integrity. Limited torsional diagonal loadings should also be tolerated; dealing with a vehicle with a canted bed will impose them. Furthermore, while dock levellers may seem to be laughably simple items, a range of optional extras takes them into a higher realm of functionality. Such extras include practical additions like high impact absorbing buffers, brush seals for the sides and rear of the deck assembly and under-deck foam insulation. More, let's say, active options include automatic, synchronised parking, a vehicle restraint system with an interlock facility, an automatic docking light interface, and a door interlock mechanism.

As is undoubtedly clear, some forethought is needed when choosing dock levellers. Given this, those chosen should give the loading bay long-lived, reliable levellers that make light work of loading and unloading while maximising loading bay uptime.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of dock levellers. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Door Downtime: Time to Upgrade Your Loading Bay Industrial Doors?

Among the words that strike dread in the hearts of loading bay managers, ‘door downtime' ranks highly. Door downtime is dead time. Should it be impossible to close an industrial door serving a loading bay, concerns about security and weather protection arise. Finding an industrial door that is broken and cannot be opened is still more serious - neither loading nor unloading can occur at an inaccessible loading bay. Moreover, while getting the best from existing industrial doors is praiseworthy, a certain point will arrive. At this point, poor operation, inadequate insulation, wear and tear and even a scruffy appearance will no longer suffice. In short, it's upgrade time.

What, then, should a loading bay manager look for in a set of industrial doors? The first and most obvious requirement is efficiency. The operating system of a roller shutter industrial door incorporates cables, springs and, more often than not, an electric motor. Choosing doors equipped with these is fine, provided you know that they will give years of trouble-free service, despite a heavy daily operating cycle count. For this very reason, it makes sense to ensure that the doors carry a comprehensive warranty and that suitable service and maintenance services are available on a contractual basis.

What about the materials and the way they're finished? Many industrial doors boast stainless steel hardware, as well as external coatings that are tough enough to be practical as well as remaining attractive over time. One such finish is Plastisol, a powder coat surface that can withstand the ravages of both time and the weather.

Speaking of the weather, industrial doors have to defend the loading bays they conceal against this. What's more, it isn't only their coatings that must battle the elements. In addition to being rain proof, doors must be corrosion proof as well as retaining heat within the loading bay when closed. For this reason, industrial doors are frequently double-skinned and are offered with options such as weather strips and brush strips. Where ventilation is required – and it often is – suitably attractive and, more importantly, strong ventilating grilles are available.

One further point warrants careful thought. The buyer-errant's considering robustness, practicality, weather resistance and appearance is all very well. However, the matter of fitment must be borne in mind. The off-the-peg roller shutter industrial door is a rare thing nowadays. As well as being popular, industrial doors of this kind are generally tailor-made to suit their intended location.

This, in turn, generates the need for further care and consideration. Of what? The options that are chosen to both supplement and complement a new set of industrial doors. This is where the careful study of the door maker's catalogue is essential. Reliability and ease of use are givens here. However, do you want cable break and spring break devices to be incorporated? How about a wicket gate? Should the door be electrically operated, should it have a safety edge on its lower rail? Do you need a remotely controlled timed return? Photocells and an inductive loop are further options and here, knowledge is power. Time spent learning what is available, is time spent wisely.

Above all, achieving the desired loading bay appearance, in which your existing scruffy, unreliable industrial doors are replaced by a set of smart, dependable efficient doors, isn't so difficult. All it takes is the right choice - from the right supplier.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of industrial doors. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Pre-emptive Measures: Industrial Door Maintenance Programmes

There are those who believe in a questionable adage. "Don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow." they say, blithely. It's all very well being cheerfully optimistic but trouble has a tendency to strike unannounced. Trouble with industrial doors can strike deeper, with what may be dire consequences, which is why planning a realistic maintenance programme for them is an important loading bay strategy.

It's a fact that industrial doors can go wrong and it doesn't take a degree in engineering to figure out what might befall them. All you need to do is look at your industrial doors' specification. Some, for example, are fitted with spring and cable break devices. These aren't there for decoration and it's obviously better to be forewarned of possible breakages of this kind by regular inspections as part of a planned maintenance programme.

Much the same goes for industrial roller shutter doors. These usually have a motor cover, which covers a component that can, by definition, fail. Photocells can also let you down, as can remote control devices, timers and induction loops. Not to put too fine a point on it, the bottom line couldn't be easier to understand. Quite simply if industrial doors stop working, so does the workforce that uses them. Moreover, this workforce can be stopped just as effectively – and perhaps for longer – by the consequences of an accident involving industrial doors.

This begs a question concerning how to prevent such things from happening before they become problematic. The answer to this contains three words: inspection, cleaning and lubrication. Preface all three with the word 'regular' and you'll get an idea of how an industrial door maintenance programme ought to be arranged.

By looking at this in a little more detail, we can see how such a programme works. The element of inspection has a clear role: a potential problem, if detected early, can be solved long before it becomes an actual problem. Cleaning and lubrication are equally logical requirements.

The next point concerns the frequency of the checks in an industrial door maintenance programme. Some firms suggest they should be carried out every 90 days. However, there are methods that permit a maintenance programme to be tailored to an individual firm's needs. Establishing a bespoke maintenance programme involves examining two factors. Counting the typical number of door opening/closing cycles per day gives a measure of how hard the doors have to work and the harder they work, the shorter the service interval.

In a similar vein, it is possible to give industrial doors a 'medical'. A detailed examination at the start of a planned maintenance programme can help to give an accurate forecast of the extent of the doors' remaining service life.

In the final analysis, two choices exist. One is to trust to luck, hoping your industrial doors soldier on regardless. This can be costly in terms of possible component failure, mechanism malfunction and consequent losses to downtime and from accidental damage to or by the industrial doors concerned. Alternatively, you could adopt a planned maintenance programme and benefit from industrial doors that are fit for their allotted task. This has a cost too but paying for maintenance and repairs before problems occur offers maximum efficiency, reliability and, of course, peace of mind that all is well in the loading bay. As the Americans say...do the math!

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of industrial doors. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.

Gimme Shelter – Dock Shelters Defy the Elements

In an ideal world, the dimensions of goods vehicles and the loading bays they use would conform to strict rules – and dock shelters would scarcely be needed. In the real, non-ideal world, vehicles and loading bays vary in size and configuration. This leaves a gap...not a theoretical, marketplace gap but a physical gap, between the particular vehicle concerned and the loading bay it is occupying. Since the gaps to be filled naturally vary, dock shelters must be flexible.

Just a moment though, what's the problem with a gap's being there anyway? Well, the gap isn't a huge problem in itself but what passes through it can be. Any cargo-handling staff member will soon educate you about this. For example, suppose the goods in transit would suffer if they became wet. Rain, hail, sleet and snow vary in the degree of dampness they create but the end result is the same – soggy goods. Imagining drenched dresses, sodden soap or wet white goods will give you an adequate illustration of the need for dock shelters.

Besides, dock shelters aren't essential only for what they keep out. Everyone is encouraged to have double-glazing and cavity wall insulation to trim their home's carbon footprint. Actually, everyone has these things to keep their heating bills down. Do they leave a door or window open in mid winter? No they don't but an open loading bay loses heat from a building just as effectively. Dock shelters help maintain an even temperature to keep workers even-tempered. They reduce this unarguably expensive and uncomfortable loss...by closing the abovementioned gap.

A dock shelter has to form an effective temporary seal between a loading bay and a vehicle. To do this, it must be able to accept various sizes of vehicle. Doing so is easier than it sounds because dock shelters are simple devices. They come in two guises, projecting or recessed, and both work in the same way. Each has a pair of flexible, fabric side curtains, which rest against the rear quarters of a vehicle's body when it's reversed into place. Vertical marking strips help the driver align the vehicle correctly. This leaves only the upper edge of the vehicle's tail to be accommodated. The various heights of vehicle are catered for by an adjustable head frame, which can be positioned to allow the head curtain it carries to rest in the right place. Sometimes, this head frame adjustment is automatic, making gap-filling easier still.

What makes a dock shelter good? In a word, flexibility. In order to make a working seal between a vehicle's tail and a building, a dock shelter must flex but only in a horizontal direction. Equally, it must be tough...tough enough to handle repeated pressure and friction from moving vehicles as well as assaults from Mother Nature. Fortunately, fabrics muscular enough to cope are used, suspended from similarly brawny side and head frame assemblies.

Last but not least, there's a further aspect of your business that expertly designed and well-made dock shelters can enhance. The world may not be ideal but it's certainly competitive. Remember that ill conceived, badly constructed and or scruffy dock shelters can give a lasting impression – of the wrong sort – about your business. After all, it's better to have excellent, effective dock shelters that won't be curtains for your business.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of docks shelters. See our website at Chase Equipment for more information.