A concern that could occur at the loading dock is caused by unscheduled truck departure.
With a truck backed into position at the loading dock the dock attendant operates the mechanical dock leveler by first pulling the deck installed release chain. The deck assembly raises and the hinged lip extends and locks into position. The dock attendant then “walks down” the deck assembly until the extended lip contacts the bed of the truck. The truck is now ready to be loaded/off loaded.
During loading if the truck departs with a lift truck travelling across the dock leveler the deck assembly and lift truck immediately drops below floor level. This immediate drop could cause the fork lift to fall from the elevated dock height to the exterior grade level potentially causing operator injury and damage to the fork lift and to the product being transferred.
A mechanical dock leveler equipped with optional fall safe arrests the downward fall of the dock leveler deck assembly to just below the finished floor level in the case of an unscheduled truck departure.
Stopping the deck just below the finished floor level reduces the chance of the lift truck from falling from the elevated floor level to the exterior grade avoiding the potential for operator injury and damage to the lift truck.
If a truck arrives at the loading dock with a truck bed lower than floor level the mechanical fall safe can be over ridden allowing the dock leveler deck to lower below the finished floor level.
To override the mechanical fall safe the dock attendant raises the deck assembly and the hinged lip locks into position. As the dock attendant walks down the deck assembly they pull up on the deck installed below level control lever which “swings” the mechanical fall safe legs forward of the lower frame. The deck with the extended lip lowers to the truck bed and the truck can now be loaded or unloaded.
It should be noted that in some cases the mechanical fall safe legs interrupt the dock levelers ability to “float” up and down with the truck suspension as the lift truck and load cause it suspension travel. This can result in operational concerns and issues. Vehicle restraints are a better way to address unscheduled truck departure than mechanical fall safe. Unlike mechanical fall safe legs the vehicle restraint will not interrupt the dock levelers ability to “float”.
For information on any Pentalift product please contact the Pentalift Sales Department.