Unscheduled departures of trailers from docks can be hazardous as was discovered at Honeywell International's Richmond, Va. facility.

'We had several instances where forklifts and operators were in a truck as it pulled away from the dock,' says Robert Fowler, warehouse manager. There were even incidents when the forklift and operator fell from a departing trailer. Fearing personal injury, lift truck drivers lost confidence in the safety of the docks and productivity declined.

Fortunately, such dock mishaps could be eliminated with a simple locking system. To prevent any additional accidents related to trailers leaving too soon, the company installed a rotating-hook style restraint system that locks the trailer's ICC bar in place at all dock doors that load or unload product. When the vehicle restraint is in place, the trailer cannot pull away.

With restraints at the facility's 16 docks, forklift drivers are assured that this type of accident would no longer occur. Lift truck drivers know if the lock indicator light is green, the trailer is locked and is not going anywhere. And as their confidence has increased, so has productivity.

'It gives peace of mind to workers by locking trailers to the dock. We are sure it won't pull away,' explains Fowler.

Fowler notes that the facility's previous method of keeping trailers from departing early was inefficient.

'In the past we would take a trailer jack stand and put it in front of the trailer to signal to drivers not to pull away,' he says. 'We even resorted to taking the keys from the driver,' adds Fowler.

The restraints also proved to be beneficial when the landing gear legs supporting an extra-wide trailer buckled. The trailer collapsed, but fortunately, the restraint system prevented the trailer from tipping over completely.

Honeywell made additional dock improvements that included installing long, hydraulic dock levelers that could easily handle trailers of different sizes with different bed heights. Operators simply push a button to lower the plate, which allows for a smooth transition in and out of the trailer. The company also upgraded the quality of fleet it leased, according to Fowler.

Additionally, a high-speed door and a high-performance door were installed at the facility.

With safer, faster dock transactions, accidents can be avoided. 'The main thing is safety,' says Fowler.

He is pleased with the level of operator security the restraint system provides, calling it a 'major improvement' for the facility.

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