Your loading dock can be a dangerous place any time of the year. Between large trucks backing in and out and heavy loads being transferred, a lot can go wrong. The winter makes things all the more dangerous thanks to cold temperatures and the presence of ice and snow.

It’s very easy to a person to slip or a truck to start sliding. Neither of those is something a dock manager wants to see. To keep your loading area under control during the cold months, you need to be extra vigilant and overly cautious.

Stay Ahead of Shoveling

Shoveling is the best defense against ice and snow build up. Even a small amount of snow on a walking path or dock leveler in Ohio can be a hazard. Often, it will start to melt, only to freeze shortly after, creating sheets of ice. To keep this from happening, shovel immediately and often.

And make sure you’re pushing the snow a good distance away from doors, loading docks, etc.

Use Salt as Needed

While salt is known to damage concrete and build up corrosion, it’s hard to beat its ice melting properties. While shoveling can help a lot, laying some salt down is one of the fastest, most effective ways of taking care of ice.

Keep Doors Closed

When you’re loading in and out of a building, it can be tempting to leave the doors open. You want to be cautious of this in the winter, however. Not only can it jack up your energy bills, but it can lead to icy build up around entryways.

On a cold enough day, it doesn’t take long for the water inside the door to turn to a sheet up ice.

Place Mats in Key Areas

Never underestimate the power of a well-placed floor mat. They’ll keep your floors both cleaner and safer.

Maintain Visibility

On a snowy day, it can be hard to see much of anything. You need to keep your loading area as visible as possible. This includes placing proper safety lights around the loading area and making sure they’re not covered by snow.

When it snows, make sure to go around to the different lights and signs to ensure they’re visible.

Stay safe out there!