It happens all over the world--vacant loading docks create a dangerous 1.2 m drop-off for dock personnel and material handling equipment. Some companies believe that a single safety chain across a dock door is adequate protection against falls. However, it is not an effective practice. A chain offers minimal protection, if any, against drop-off when personnel and material handling equipment is involved. Even when a sectional door at the dock is closed, it is not designed to stop a moving forklift truck. A better option is a safety barrier or gate designed and rated to protect against dock drop-off that involves material handling equipment. 

Whether it’s a loading dock or a raised area, safety barriers and gates address the need to protect people anytime they are at a height of four feet or more. The brutal reality is, dangerous drop-offs aren’t always addressed until it’s too late and a serious accident has happened. 

The Rite Solution. A safety barrier or gate also provides a clear visual warning to forklift operators to stay clear of closed dock doors to avoid crashing through them. Doing so is especially critical for facilities that keep dock doors closed for any number of reasons, including environmental control, compliance with closed-door policies, or to ensure security and cleanliness. Rite-Hite safety barriers not only provide a much-needed visual warning, but can also stop a 45 kN forklift traveling up to 6.5 km/h.

The Dok-Guardian (Heavy Duty and Light Duty models) is designed to help prevent forklift trucks, pallet jacks and pedestrians from falling off a vacant, open loading dock.  Any location where you are trying to protect people and equipment from material handling traffic with an effective physical barrier calls for a Rite-Hite Barrier System. We design our barrier products with one thing in mind-- to protect employees and equipment in any dock environment. 

It bears repeating: the brutal reality is, dangerous drop-offs aren’t always dealt with until it’s too late and a serious accident has happened. Don’t let it happen to you!