Loading dock levelers simplify your loading dock operations by improving shipment efficiency, which prevents damage to valuable inventory and promotes safety. If your business operations revolve around the loading and unloading of materials, your loading dock will be more functional and safer with the right dock leveler. But how do you determine which type of dock leveler you need. Consider the following points:
Determine Your Needs
The first thing you need to figure out is what you are looking for in a leveler. What is the maximum weight of your loads? When determining the load, make sure you include the weight of the cargo and the lift truck. Do you need to accommodate a specific range of trailer deck heights? Will the ramp be used frequently?
You should also take your operating environment into consideration: some industries have unique dust and pest control needs as well as specific wash-down requirements. If the facility is located in a colder climate or the warehouse applications are in a refrigerated environment, the style of leveler may be solely dictated by the insulation requirements.
In order to anticipate future needs, you need to look beyond your current operations. It may cost a little more today to purchase a dock leveler that suits your needs in the future, but you’ll end up saving money in the long run, as opposed to having to replace an outdated ramp down the road.
Narrowing Your Selection
The expected range of the cargo loads and trailer heights you’ll need to accommodate your warehouse operations will narrow down your selection significantly. If most of your ramp loads are light (less than 20,000 pounds) and your trailer heights have little variation, (within a 3” range below or above the dock height), a solid entry-level choice would be to use Edge of Dock (EOD) levelers. Installing an EOD is relatively easy, as they do not require a dock pit and accommodate a small range of trailer heights. Their compact design and simple installation can make these types of levelers an inexpensive option for dock applications with light ramp loads.
Options
There are a variety of different edge of dock and pit levelers to choose from. Below are some of the options that you can consider and some of the common circumstances they are best suited for.
Powered or Manual Leveler
Manual levelers are best suited for docks with low traffic. The operating procedures are simple, and they require no electrical connection, for years of worry-free operation. If your docks have a high level of traffic, a powered leveler may be worth the additional money when you take into account long-term maintenance costs, worker safety, and dock productivity.
Controls and Signaling
Leveler systems, including those that are conjoined by truck restraints, can be purchased with alarms and signaling lights to communicate the leveler’s status to warehouse employees and the truck driver. This will help prevent hasty trailer departure accidents from occurring. To minimize human error during loading and unloading, you can interlock the leveler with other dock systems (an advanced option).
Safety
Falls are a common occurrence whenever a bay door is left open. Guarding (a safety lip) is incorporated with some levelers. It blocks the opening until you deploy the leveler. These systems also effectively prevent vehicles from rolling off a dock platform accidentally.
Other Circumstances to Consider
Levelers exist to satisfy the specific set of needs certain industries require. If your facility is subject to stringent hygiene procedures, vertical mounted levelers or edge of dock levelers promote easy cleaning throughout your facility.
If your facility is located in a cold climate or requires a refrigeration system, insulation is often taken into consideration. Supplemental perimeter sealing, such as Dock Seals, or vertical levelers will keep air filtration minimized while your workers load and unload trailers.
We have a wide range of dock levelers to fit your specifications. Let’s take an in-depth look at all of them.
Dock Levelers
Edge of Dock Levelers
Edge of dock levelers are mounted to the edge of a loading dock, unlike mechanical dock levelers which are pit installed. They are best suited for standard height trailers and offer a limited service range. They are affordable, very easy to install, and offer a higher safety level than dock plates.
Pit Style Mechanical Dock Leveler
The pit style mechanical dock leveler is relatively simple to operate, does not rely on electricity, and is very durable. For most applications, these levelers work efficiently and are a good choice for businesses that are on a tight budget.
- Load Usage: up to 26,000lb
- Load Class: Workhorse, Heavy, Super
Pit Style Airbag Dock Leveler
Pit style airbag dock levelers have a single push-button control station. When the button is pushed, the system is activated and the airbag inflates. The lip is deployed in a constant upward motion, and the deck is raised. The platform is lowered onto the truck bed once the button is released and the bag has been deflated.
- Load Usage: Available in 30,000, 35,000, 40,000 and 45,000 lb
Pit Style Hydraulic Dock Leveler
Pit style hydraulic dock levelers are designed for durability in heavy-load, high-traffic conditions. They also come with a single push-button control station to simplify the loading and unloading process. Compared with mechanical dock levelers, hydraulic dock levelers are more ergonomically friendly. They also require less maintenance than other dock levelers.
- Load Usage: up to 40,000lb
- Load Class: Workhorse, Heavy, Super, Extreme, Ultra
There are many different loading dock levelers to choose from, which is why you should speak with an authorized material handling expert like Stein Service & Supply. We can help you select the product that best suits your warehouse’s specific needs.
