Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a fact of life. But when mistakes happen in a loading dock, the results can be dangerous. From delays to damaged goods to serious injury, loading dock errors are not something to be taken lightly.

The good news is, many mistakes that are prevalent in loading areas can be greatly reduced, if not eliminated altogether. Here are some of the most common loading dock mistakes made and how you can avoid them.

Not Establishing Clear Safety Rules and Procedures

Safety should be the number one priority in any loading area. In order to maintain safety, clear rules and procedures need to be established. Do not assume that people in the loading area will know how to do things the right way.

Anyone working in the loading area should be trained in on proper protocol and potential dangers. If people fail to follow protocols, even if no injury or accidents occur, they must be corrected.

Additionally, your safety measures should be monitored and updated as needed.

Failure to Properly Light and Label Your Loading Dock

When you’re focused on loading and putting away cargo as quickly as possible, it can be easy to miss things. This is true for your own workers, and it’s especially true for external drivers and vendors less familiar with your loading area.

That’s why proper lighting and labeling are incredibly important when it comes to keeping your loading bays safe and efficient.

Reflective paint can mark guidelines and dangerous areas. Removable barricades can keep forklifts and pallet jacks from going off an edge. Utilize lights to outline areas and guide people to where they should be.

Lights can also be used to provide instructions and warnings to drivers and workers in the loading area.

And of course, make sure all required safety signs are in place and visible.

Not Controlling Air Flow and Outdoor Weather

Controlling temperatures inside of warehouses, storage facilities, and loading areas can be difficult due to doors being opened constantly and left that way for extended periods. While it may feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle, it’s important to keep your facility in workable conditions.

Both excessive heat and extreme cold can make a loading area dangerous for workers.

The first step is to make sure all of your doors are sealed properly so that when they’re closed, they’re truly closed. Using insulated and high-speed doors can make a big difference as well. Finally, consider installing plastic curtain strips.

If you’re looking to upgrade your loading area and reduce the mistakes happening there, we can help. At Springfield Overhead Door, we offer a great variety of commercial overhead doors, including high-speed insulated doors. Additionally, we have quality dock levelers available in Ohio.

Stop making the same loading dock mistakes and contact Springfield Overhead Door today.