Trailer Restraints: Why Use Them

A trailer restraint is a piece of equipment installed at the trailer’s loading dock to prevent it from making unnecessary movements. It keeps your loading dock crew safe by ensuring trailers are properly secured during loading and offloading. The following are the four benefits you will get from using trailer restraints.

Maximizing safety

During loading and unloading  of a trailer, the driver may think the loading or unloading is complete and may pull away prematurely. As a result, the loading or offloading crew may be right behind the trailer and get injured or run over by the trailer. Sometimes the loading and offloading are done by a forklift, and in some cases, the momentum of the forklift shifts to the trailer, making it move forward, separating from the dock leveler. When the forklift separates from the trailer, it falls into the gap, crashing anyone that might be at the point.

Effective communication

Accurate communication between the trailer driver and the dock personnel is key to maintaining safety at the loading dock. Trailer restraints normally include light communication systems that detect when the restraints are on or off. The system uses interior and exterior lights to communicate to the dock crew and the driver when they can load or offload safely.

Reducing expenses

If you ever thought installing trailer restraints was expensive, you should look at the cost companies incur from loading dock accidents. Companies spend an estimated $ 675 million annually on loading dock injuries, while a worker’s injury treatment costs approximately $ 189,000. A better way of spending the amount would be installing trailer restraints, which are a one-time affair, to prevent such accidents.

Enhancing peace of mind

Prevention is better than cure. You do not have to wait until you experience a road accident to start fastening your safety belts. When you install trailer restraints at your loading dock, you will rest easy, with the peace you deserve, knowing that you have done your best to prevent accidents at the dock.

A trailer restraint not only ensures safety at the loading dock; it also reduces your expenses associated with accidents and gives you the peace of mind to run other activities in your business. For efficient trailer restraints installation, please get in touch with us today.