The loading bay equipment suppliers have done much to enhance both safety and efficiency of their products but no matter how well equipped loading areas are to prevent accidents these will always happen and many involve doors. At the root of many such accidents is inadequate training, and dare one say sometimes management allowing corners to be cut owing to the exigencies of meeting demanding delivery schedules. But there is neglect of another kind that adds to the accident issue, namely maintenance neglect, coupled with incorrect new product specification in the first place that can cause repetitive damage to the loading areas.
This article was first published in the March 15th 2020 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
Back in 2012 there was a near fatal accident after a roller shutter door failed, prompting the Door and Hardware Federation’s campaign to encourage regular maintenance. An investigation blamed lack of regular and proper door maintenance, leading to a £30,000 fine for the victim’s employers. Today’s doors may initially be expensive but skimping on maintenance is not the answer, as the cost of some of these accidents, involving downtime as well as injury and reputational costs, can far outweigh initial door costs. Moreover, if properly specified for the installation, the energy savings alone can provide paybacks in under two years so make sure you factor in life cycle costs and not fixate on initial costs when choosing door makes.
While the Safety at Work Regulations do not dictate a set number of times a loading bay must be serviced, leading door manufacturer and installer, Hormann UK, recommend all loading bay technology be serviced at least twice a year or more often depending on the work intensity. Such leading equipment suppliers, all members of ALEM, are the best source for guidance on how to cut the risk of downtime and accidents and damage to goods. Where certain types of damage occur often then the service engineers should suggest changing the system, such as changing the height or width of the loading area.
If burdened with a variety of door makes then care is needed when choosing a maintenance provider. Dock Solutions is one company that services all makes and models and offer a 90% first fix rate. But if unsure what your loading bays planned maintenance needs are then they will offer a free site survey. Most of the leading suppliers will also conduct free energy audits of the loading bay area, so important if concerned about door paybacks from energy savings.
There is one type of door which is the least accident prone and maintenance demanding, namely the invisible kind. These are air curtains from suppliers like JS Curtains and Airbloc which can also save money by eliminating forklift door control devices like induction loops, radar and infra-red. And if that were not tempting enough they are claimed to cut energy loss by over 80%. A recent development in this area being trialled by Waitrose & Partners is Wirth Research’s Air Door concept that prevents warm air being lost during colder temperatures and cold air being lost during warmer temperatures as customers enter and leave stores. It provides an archway that sits outside a store around the frame of an existing entrance. Sensors detect air flow in both directions, which is then counteracted by an opposing, self-generating wind. This prevents unwanted outside air flowing in and inside air escaping, thus negating the need for revolving doors or lobbies. Energy savings for retail stores in general could be £1.5 billion every year.
Bill Redmond, Features Editor
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