The importance of regular dock leveler services is sometimes overlooked. It is important that you maintain your dock leveler, and while it may seem like a simple thing, it could lead to extreme danger if you fail to maintain it. It could cause your facility to shut down, which would end up costing you a lot more than regular maintenance fees.
Reasons To Maintain Regular Loading Dock Leveler
Here you will learn about the reasons behind the importance of dock leveler maintenance and servicing.
Avoid Expensive Repairs
If you have ever chipped your windshield, you know just how quickly a small crack can become a big problem. This same principle applies to your dock leveler. A small, easy fix can turn into a huge headache if it isn’t taken care of right away. Something minor such as an issue with the mainspring can cause your facility to shut down for several days.
It is important that you conduct regular checks and maintain them frequently so you can catch these small issues before they turn into long-term damage.
Safe Work Environment
Dock level maintenance is important for worker safety. Worker safety should always be on top of your list of priorities. Remember, you cannot conduct business without employees in the first place, so their health and wellbeing should come first.
Having a loading dock without a leveler can create hazards. If a truck lines up with the edge of your loading dock with a gap present, accidents can occur.
Dock workers steer forklifts over ledges in accidents more often than you think. A dock leveler is put into place to prevent various accidents from occurring. If you fail to maintain your dock leveler, you risk losing access to it. You will also risk damaging other equipment and causing injuries to your employees.
Maintaining Dock Leveler
Your top priority should also be regular maintenance of your equipment, including your dock leveler. If you fail to keep up with basic maintenance, it could cost you and your business. Additionally, it could pose a safety risk to all of your employees, which can be serious.
You can also maintain your dock leveler by checking the fluid levels. Never undermine this simple task because it is extremely important. Hydraulic fluids run dock levelers by transferring power to the internal machinery. If the fluid levels are too low, your loading dock leveler can slow down. This means that your dock leveler will not operate at the maximum weight capacity.
You can easily determine how much liquid it has just by observing it. Speaking of observing, you can easily determine a lot of information about the condition of your dock leveler just by observing the productivity trends and missed delivery dates.
For example, if your dock loading area is erratic, it can result in less productivity for your dock leveler, which will increase in billable hours.