Dock Lifts Charleston SC let you load or unload trucks from ground level when your facility has no dock, or the dock is too high or low. They also save on energy costs and prevent accidents.

They are more cost effective than traditional loading solutions like dock levelers and ramps, and they require no pit construction.

The dock area of a warehouse is one of the most hazardous areas in industrial settings. Accidents involving lift trucks, falling loads and pedestrians in these confined spaces are often very serious or fatal. Many of these accidents could be prevented through detailed hazard assessment, proper training and day-to-day enforcement of dock safety issues.

A Dock Lift provides a safer and more ergonomic way to load/unload trailers than traditional methods such as manhandling goods on the dock, skate conveyor or lowering them to ground level using a fork truck. Whether your facility uses one method or multiple, all of them require employees to be on foot and outside of the trailer or dock door, which puts those workers at risk for injury. Injuries sustained from these activities also tend to be costly in terms of lost productivity and workers’ compensation claims.

Other hazards in the dock area include uneven or misaligned trailer landing gear, which can tip over and injure employees or damage equipment inside a truck or trailer. Trailer creep is another concern, where a trailer moves away from the dock doors or opening and creates a gap that workers or equipment can fall through. This can be prevented with properly configured dock doors, a well-maintained trailer ramp, visual warnings or other traffic control measures.

Choosing the right size dock lift for your application is also critical for safety. The make, model and hull shape of watercrafts will determine the size lift that is needed to safely dock them. A dock lift must be engineered to accommodate the full dry weight of the watercraft, not a single pound less. A dock lift should also be rated to lift the maximum amount of weight transferred by workers on carts, forklifts and other transport equipment.

Dock lifts can be surface or pit mounted, with options for internal or external controls. They are more versatile than dock levelers and faster to use than loading and unloading from the floor, more economical than recessed truck wells and safer than ramps or inclines. They can be powered by an electric motor or pneumatically operated.

Convenience

When it comes to boat lifts, the key features are safety and reliability. However, many people don’t realize that dock lifts can also improve your waterfront property’s convenience by eliminating the need to step on and off your vessel. This can make it much easier to enter and exit your watercraft while allowing you to keep your dock clean.

Typically, dock lifts are set into a three-sided pit, recessed into the dock wall or mounted on the face of the dock. They can accommodate trucks from low step vans to high reefer semis. In addition, they offer superior versatility compared to truck tailgate lifts. Truck tailgate lifts only work with one vendor, reduce truck capacity by up to 3,000 pounds and can increase wear on the truck which increases operating costs that are passed on to customers. Truck tailgate lifts have small platforms that only have a single handrail and can be dangerous to maneuver on, which increases the risk of injury.

In contrast, loading dock lifts are designed to handle direct truck impacts and heavy daily use. They can be mounted in a pit or at the facility’s edge without the need for bollards or external equipment. In addition, their modular design makes them easy to install, maintain and upgrade.

Loading dock lifts can also increase the speed and efficiency of unloading and re-racking. Two men with pallet jacks can move goods from truck height to ground level using a dock lift in less than half of the time it would take them to do the same task with skate conveyor in an unstack and restack operation. This can save a company a considerable amount of money in labor and overhead costs.

In addition, loading dock lifts are safer and more convenient to operate than tailgate lifts. While tailgate lifts can be hazardous to use due to their limited range and their lack of safety features, dock lifts are much safer to operate and have safety features such as an upper travel limit switch and an emergency velocity fuse. In addition, they can be controlled via push buttons mounted on straight or coil cords that are easily located and secured when not in use.

Durability

The most common methods for moving goods between a truck and a dock are either manhandling them from one level to the other or unstacking pallets on the truck and rolling them down an incline to ground level. Both of these approaches require a great deal of lifting, twisting and turning which causes back, shoulder and hand injuries. With a dock lift, employees stand on a platform and the goods move from truck to dock height or dock to ground level automatically without any heavy lifting or twisting.

Durability is a big consideration when purchasing any type of equipment, especially when it’s used in hostile environments. Dock lifts are constructed of a steel-reinforced platform with wide legs to minimize deflection and galvanized base and leg construction to resist corrosion. This ensures the system will perform for years and withstand the harshest environmental conditions.

Additionally, dock lifts can operate from grade to a maximum of 59″ truck bed height which makes them more versatile than truck tailgate systems. They can be installed to service a wide range of trucks from vans and pickups to tractor trailers and container trucks.

Finally, dock lifts are a lot safer and more convenient than ramps or inclines. They make loading and unloading easier, quicker, safer and less expensive than using a truck tailgate.

To improve durability even more, most dock lifts are built with corrosion resistant materials like stainless steel and aluminum. They can also be equipped with features like air-discharged valves and double-wire braided Parker hydraulic hoses which reduce wear and abrasion in harsh environments. In addition, many systems can be fitted with safety features like an upper travel limit switch and overload fuse. These features add another layer of security for workers and help prevent expensive damages. Additionally, a drain located in the lift’s base helps to protect it from standing water which can lead to corrosion and damage the system.

Maintenance

For the same reason that a regular oil change on your car saves money, sticking to recommended maintenance schedules for dock equipment is an effective way to cut down on costly repairs. This can also help ensure your dock equipment performs at its optimal capacity and increases resale value.

Depending on the type of lift you choose, maintenance can be as easy as adding a limit switch to stop your boat at the proper dock height, greasing the gear plate and running the lift up and down (VERY carefully) several times each year, and making sure the power unit is protected with weather protection. For docks with recessed lifts, you can also order oil emersion heathers to prevent rust in cold winter outdoor temperatures.

If you’re choosing a hydraulic lift, it is important to inspect the system for signs of fluid leaks on a frequent basis. Addressing these issues early can prevent damage to the hydraulic design and ensure the lift operates smoothly. If you have a dock lift with a cantilever motion or hinged approach ramps, make sure to not use unapproved devices to open and close the doors. These unapproved devices can place unnecessary strain on the doors, leading to wear and tear and misalignment in the door opening.

You should also examine your pilings and dock structure for signs of damage on a consistent basis. A damaged piling or seawall can be compromised by the weight of a dock lift and result in significant structural failure over time. Finally, if you have a lift with galvanized steel top beams, look for any signs of corrosion. Galvanized steel rusts quickly, especially when exposed to saltwater. Addressing any rust spots on your top beams in the early stages can prevent corrosion from spreading and compromise the integrity of the lift. You should also regularly inspect the control panel for any signs of wear and tear or loose connections. If you’re unsure of what to look for, contact a professional. A trained technician can inspect the equipment and recommend any needed maintenance before damage occurs.