Wheel chocks trailer restraints

Many employees are seriously injured or killed each year as a result of a lift truck falling off a dock to a lower level. Operators of powered equipment have the responsibility of ensuring the trailer is properly secured at the dock. The trailer must be restrained to prevent movement. 

There are many hundreds of close calls each day in industry. A trailer moves and the lift truck falls in the gap between the trailer and dock. The operator isn t injured but is shaken up. When the trailer moves far enough from the dock, the forklift can easily fall to the dock floor. The operator can elect to stay with the forklift or attempt to jump clear. This is an example where using a seat belt can be a lifesaver. 

Operators must be trained not to jump from a falling forklift, as this can be life-threatening. When a lift truck goes off the dock, the operator could be killed, suffer serious injuries, suffer less serious injuries, or be shaken up but not injured. By not securing the trailer properly, any one of these scenarios is possible. 

Drivers of trailers are responsible for safely backing a trailer into the dock well. The trailer must be aligned properly so that it is spotted properly. At this point the operator may elect to leave the cab attached to the trailer or lower the landing wheels and spot the trailer on an approved pad. The tractor operator should properly place the wheel chocks in front of the trailer wheels to prevent any movement of the trailer. Each time a forklift enters and exits a trailer that has been spotted at a dock, the impact from this movement can easily cause the trailer to move forward. As often happens, the trailer could prematurely pull away from the dock. The lift truck could fall between the dock and truck or be left in the back of the moving trailer. Many trailer truck operators, however, are not accustomed to properly placing wheel chocks against trailer wheels. Lift truck operators erroneously assume that the wheels are chocked because that is the job of the trailer truck operator. 

The responsibility to ensure wheel chocking lies with the powered equipment operator, who must physically check to ensure the wheels are chocked before entering the trailer. This may require a trip to the loading dock floor to check. If there is snow, ice, or water on the dock surface, the operator may be reluctant to go outdoors to chock the wheels. This oversight could easily result in a fall from the dock by the operator and the forklift. OSHA regulations require wheel chocking this requirement makes sense when it comes to saving a life. 

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Vehicle restraints are more effective than manual wheel chocking. The restraint has a moveable steel hook, bar, or handle mounted onto the dock wall face. The hook, bar, or handle attaches to the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) bar, which is the horizontal bar mounted below the trailer bumper. This device is also called a rear impact guard. 

Never enter a trailer unless the trailer has been secured with wheel chocks or trailer restraint devices. 

The unexpected movement of trailers at docks over the years has caused many injuries and deaths. To prevent movement of trailers, powered equipment operators can be protected by wheel chocks and various forms of mechanical trailer restraints. 

Be sure the trailer s wheels are chocked or the trailer is secured with an automatic trailer restraint, before entering. Figure 10-16 illustrates the dangers in trailer pull-away while using a walkie. 

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