Loading & Unloading Safely at Terminals: 7 Key Tips

Truck terminals are busy hubs where lots of people and large equipment are regularly moving around. That can make them risky places where one wrong move can cause anything from crushing accidents to falling accidents, truck wrecks, and more.

To minimize these risks, here are some essential safety tips to follow whenever you’re loading and unloading freight at a truck terminal.

1. Carefully back up the truck and use a spotter.

Take a few extra seconds to make sure everything is clear and, whenever possible, have someone spot you as you back up to the loading dock.

2. Use locking devices.

This can ensure that the trailer remains in place and that it won’t drift away from the doc while freight is being loaded or unloaded. Without this mechanism, there are far greater chances that the trailer will move away from the loading dock, increasing the risk of fall injuries.

3. Be extremely careful when opening the trailer doors.

Cargo can shift during a haul, so take extreme caution whenever you’re opening up a trailer’s doors for the first time when unloading freight.

4. Wear safety gear.

At a minimum, this should include a hardhat and safety goggles or glasses. Other helpful safety gear can include knee pads, a back brace, and heavy-duty gloves.

5. Quick clean up any spills.

When anything spills on the floor, make sure it’s immediately and completely cleaned up before continuing with what you were doing. Spills can mean slip and falls. They may also present a health hazard if the spilled material is toxic.

6. Use the correct loading and unloading procedures.

If you’re physically lifting boxes, use your legs and keep your back straight, so you don’t strain it. If you or anyone else is using a piece of heavy machinery, make sure that at least one other person is present and that the operator is properly certified to handle the machinery.

7. Comply with any dock-specific safety rules.

If you see notices or signs regarding dock rules, always follow them. If everyone complies with the same set of rules, the chances of an accident can drop dramatically.

While prioritizing safety is always important, accidents still can and do happen at truck terminals and loading docks. When they do—and when those accidents are caused by others’ careless or reckless actions, victims will likely have the right to seek justice and financial recovery.

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