Since 1959, Johnson Equipment Company has taken pride in offering top-of-the line warehouse equipment and safety solutions to ensure your company’s operations run efficiently and safely. Our company is proud to offer a full range of in-plant safety and communication solutions guaranteed to minimize the risk of potential injury, equipment and product damage, and associated monetary loss within your facility. These measures eliminate injury and loss both at your dock positions, and on the floor of your operations. Our mission is to partner with you in order to protect your employees’ health and well-being, as well as your company’s assets. The warehouse is a risky environment, and your everyday operations are threatened by imminent disaster without the proper safety and communication measures.
Loading Dock Barrier OSHA Regulations
According to OSHA documentation, 95,000 employees are injured every year while operating forklifts, and in 2012 workplace injuries and deaths cost companies a total of $200 billion. OSHA studies show that 7% of all forklift-related accidents occur within a warehouse when a lift is driven off the loading dock position. This occurs because of exposed dock positions – which at a height of 48’’ pose a risk of serious injury to both pedestrians and forklift drivers, especially considering each dock position is crossed an average of 100,000 times per year. In order to combat the high risk associated with fall injuries from dock positions, in January of 2017 OSHA added regulation 1910.28(b) which requires fall protection across exposed openings and walkways. In compliance with these regulations, Johnson Equipment is excited to offer a line of practical solutions to mitigate the risk of forklifts and personnel exiting a dock position.
Top Loading Dock Safety Barriers
Rite-Hite Dok-Guardian vs. Clopay Safe-T-Shield
The Dok-Guardian line from Rite-Hite and the Clopay Safe-T-Shield are both practical answers to this problem – both providing fall protection from exposed dock positions.
The Dok-Guardian Loading Dock Barrier Line
The Dok-Guardian HDXL and Dok-Guardian LDXL have the stopping power of up to 30,000 and 5,500 pounds respectively. As a result, the Dok Guardian HDXL has the stopping power to halt a forklift’s movement and prevent it from falling off a dock position or damaging the door. Rite-Hite’s Dok Guardian systems offer a high-visibility PVC coated mesh curtain, which is anchored on either side of the dock position by safety wardens and serve the dual purpose of protecting the door track from impact damage. The curtain automatically retracts when unhooked from the engaged position and is stored in the opposite safety warden. Both systems meet and exceed OSHA requirement 1910.29 for walking and working surfaces.
The Clopay Safe-T-Shield
The Clopay Safe-T-Shield is capable of withstanding outward and downward forces of 200 pounds on the top rail, 150 pounds at the mid rail, and 50 pounds at the toe board in order to protect warehouse personnel in accordance with OSHA standards 1910.28 and 1910.29. This pedestrian shield is mounted on a rolling track in front of the dock door, so that it may be brought down when the dock position is exposed and returned to its position above the header when the loading dock is in use.
For more information on protecting your dock position, facility floor space, your employees, and company equipment – contact your local Johnson Equipment representative. We look forward to developing a business partnership with you and learning more about your operation in order to properly protect your personnel and assets.
