In A Stable Condition: Mobile Loading Platforms

There's an old adage about a jack-of-all-trades being a master of none. It's fair comment but it could be considered rather short sighted. When it comes to load-handling equipment, there are assemblies that are in effect jacks of two trades - and masters of both. Here's how mobile loading platforms can be both stable and flexible.

Picture the scene: you have a number of dedicated loading bays but undertaking hand unloading of deliveries represents inefficiency at best, and downtime at worst. In another scenario, you may not have any fixed loading bays. The solution in both these settings is using one or more mobile loading platforms.

"If Mohammad can't go to the mountain, let the mountain come to Mohammad.", said the English philosopher Frances Bacon, in 1625. In this instance, however, the mountain (the loading facility) can go to Mohammed (the truck to be unloaded). How? Mobile loading platforms are equipped with forklift pockets and can be placed next to the truck in question, wherever the terrain permits.

So, what about stability and safe working? Mobile loading platforms are available with safe working loads of 3,000kg or more. They come in various sizes and may even be designed to answer your specific needs. They have flaps that sit on the load bed of the truck being unloaded, and chains are used to close off openings that are not in use. An access ladder is provided and handrails are included. You may have noted by now that there is no mention of a power supply or hydraulic operation. Mobile loading platforms need neither - no hassle, minimal service and maintenance requirements, no problem.

Mobile yard ramps are of a tried, tested and trusted design, as well as being simple, strong and stable. Consequently, the list of optional extras is small. There is the abovementioned range of alternative sizes, and bespoke platforms for special situations are available. A variety of gates and handrails are also offered; mobile loading platforms may be tailored as individual items or as part of a collection. Stability in use - and therefore safety - can be enhanced with the aid of securing chains and/or vehicle chocks, and additional anti-slip surfaces may be specified. Moveable castors are also on offer to augment mobility. Plus, British (and Northern European) weather being what it is, canopies are available to keep your personnel, and the goods in transit from truck to destination, unaffected by rain, or worse.

You could say that usually, a problem is a solution waiting to be discovered. Mobile loading platforms can represent the solution to any number of problems at the business end of the logistical chain. They can be stored until needed, placed with remarkable ease, need very little servicing and maintenance, and they can pay for themselves many times over. Their simplicity gives them a satisfyingly long service life and, in comparison to that of a fixed, dedicated loading bay, their cost is modest.

In the case of a loading bay on which the demands are particularly variable, the flexibility of the loading and unloading arrangements made possible by mobile loading platforms is a positive advantage. However, using them as an adjunct to dedicated loading bays also facilitates the handling of unusual – and even one-off – cargo-handling tasks.

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

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.

On The Safe Side: Loading Dock Safety Equipment

Safety equipment is prophylactic. This word comes from the Greek and means 'an advance guard', so safety equipment is there to prevent something untoward happening. In a loading dock, there are any number of potentially untoward happenings which, should they occur, could have far-reaching consequences. Given that a loading dock is, by definition, host to very large, very heavy moving objects, a recipe for disaster exists.

The loading dock's personnel represents the weakest link in this particular chain. Though not necessarily large or very heavy, people move too so ensuring they can get about in safety is paramount. One structure that can help here is expanded metal deck mesh. The loading dock's deck has to be strong enough to cope with the weight it must accommodate but it also has to be non-slip, which is where an expanded metal surface comes into its own. The deck's being well above floor level means that access to its working surface must be reliably strong and safe. Among the various kinds of safety equipment, access steps figure prominently. Such items must obviously be secure and capable of bearing the relevant loads. However, the requirement also includes the provision of handrails, as well as railings that protect the edges of the deck. Safety chain is a worthwhile addition, to close off those areas that are left open when the loading dock isn't occupied by a truck or van.

Having ensured that the loading dock personnel can't take steps into the unknown, it makes sense to cater for the vehicles that facilitate loading and unloading. Forklift trucks are heavy, can carry far more than any individual person and can move faster. While the abovementioned expanded metal deck mesh can take the weight of a moving laden forklift, it is flat. How then do you stop a forklift from slipping off the edge of a loading dock's deck, or from being driven over it by mistake? Simple, fit fork truck raves. These substantial steel structures delineate the edges of the loading dock at a low level, keeping forklifts on the straight and narrow.

Now for the heaviest and most potentially damaging of the loading dock's occupants. The road vehicles that carry goods come in a range of sizes but all are heavy, and obviously mobile. Protection bumpers and head rail raves can prevent vans and trucks from going beyond where they are welcome. This, however, is not just a matter of loading dock etiquette. More than one loading dock worker has been injured through being caught between a moving truck and a loading dock.

Where a trailer, brought by a lorry cab unit, no longer has the support of the cab unit in a loading dock, it is essential that its leading end be secured. This is a task for a stabilizer trailer jack, a strong, wheeled support that takes over the cab unit's job when the trailer is at rest.

Loading dock safety is a wide subject. However, these items of safety equipment are a few of the things that, by being present, can prevent accidents. Making sure they are there, and using them without exception, will enhance the safety record of any loading dock.

Chase Equipment are a leading international supplier of loading dock equipment. 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.