Specific Conditions

• Wash Down
• Pressure
• Floor incline or decline
• Interior or exterior location
• Existing transom
• Existing overhead door or fire door
• Oversized opening for transom or dutch door design

• Energy conservation
• Environmental control
• Free flow of traffic
• Employee comfort
• Division of spaces
• Reduction of maintenance

Today, selecting the right cold storage door for your facility can be more complicated than ever. There are a variety of doors on the market today, so it's easy to understand why choosing the best cold storage door is a difficult decision. In addition, not all doors are the same. A misapplied door can cause serious problems with environmental control, efficiency, durability and safety, while a properly applied door can: improve safety, increase productivity, save energy, minimize maintenance and repair costs, enhance plant productivity, and provide the best overall return on investment. There are six factors to consider, which will help you determine the best total cold storage door solution for your facility.

1. Environmental Control
2. Efficiency
3. Durability
4. Safety
5. Activation
6. Selection

The Importance of Environmental Control. Environmental control is critical in cold storage facilities. There are several factors which can affect environmental control. These include: environmental separation, sealing, speed of operation, security and quality control. By examining these factors and their importance to you, you will be one step closer to choosing the best cold storage door for your application. Examine how Efficiency can be Improved. Proper door selection can improve the efficiency of a facility. For example, a fast passage time allows equipment to move quickly through the opening, increasing productivity. Also, optimizing the traffic flow through a facility will improve efficiency, and will increase the productivity of your employees. A closer look at the issues affecting efficiency will help you make the right door decision. Choose a Door Designed for Durability. The durability of a door can be determined by the following criteria: performance, impactability, maintenance needs and service support. Choose a door which was designed to meet your durability requirements. Make the Safest Choice Possible. Because safety is important at every facility, factors must be considered which can affect safety. For example, the type and flow of traffic at the opening can contribute to safety concerns. Also consider visibility needs at the opening. A high traffic opening will require more visibility than an opening with minimal traffic. Finally, look for the potential for accidents and choose a door which will help prevent those accidents. Activation of Power Doors is as Important as the Door Itself. Activation is often taken for granted in door selection, however properly activated doors can provide many benefits. Use activation to your advantage to improve safety, increase environmental separation, customize door operation, improve productivity, eliminate false cycles, minimize door impacts, and lower maintenance and downtime. To determine the best activation for your application, look at the traffic, equipment going through and around the opening, the physical characteristics of the opening, and the types of activation offered. Final Selection is a Total Door Solution. The door manufacturer you choose should provide a total solution, not just hardware. You should expect innovative products with state-of-the-art features. But, you're not only choosing an industrial door, you're also choosing a company. Make sure you select a manufacturer and local dealer who stand behind the equipment and provide complete service and support. Ask about a company's track record with existing customers. Ask for a product demonstration, and visit a field site where the equipment has been installed for some time. Check out the availability of service specialists. Ask about guaranteed life expectancy of the door and make sure you get written warranties.

Definition: High speed doors are designed for fast open and close, allowing people and/or equipment to move quickly through the opening. When properly applied, they can increase environmental separation, productivity and safety, and reduce maintenance costs. There are two basic designs of high speed doors: roll-up and bi-parting. Roll-up doors open vertically, while bi-parting doors open horizontally from the center. The specific application must be examined to determine which style is ideal, as each design has distinct features and benefits. Please see How to Select the Right Industrial Door Solution for more information, or contact us directly with your questions!

Different types of doors may be appropriate for different applications. Before deciding on a specific door style, see How to Select the Right Industrial Door for more information.

North American Seals & Shelters Selection Guide Choosing the right dock seals or shelters can save you money and increase the safety and efficiency of your operation. But there are no "off-the-shelf" solutions. Your situation is unique. So when selecting these products for your facility, consider five key points, represented by the letters S.E.A.L.S. - Situation, Environmental Control, Access, Long Life and Support. Situation The types of trucks you serve and the design of your building greatly affect your choice of seals and shelters. The wider the variety of trucks serviced, the more flexibility you must have. Layout of your dock, inclines or declines of the approach, building wall construction, size of the door opening and position of adjacent structures all affect your choice of seals and shelters. The right selection can help provide years of productive service. Environmental Control Protection from the elements, energy loss and safety are important issues when considering the sealing efficiency of your seals and shelters. Temperature control, water infiltration, wind, dirt and debris, slippery conditions, energy loss, insect infiltration, product damage, theft and employee comfort are all factors that you need to address at your loading dock. Access While environmental control considerations are important, your choice of seal or shelter design can also affect your ability to access the loads on the trailer - directly impacting your productivity and costs. Limited access can lead to the load impacting the seal or shelter, causing damage and downtime. To ensure proper access, identify the load situations that are most often encountered at your facility. Long Life The product features you choose help determine the life of your seals and shelters, and can minimize repair costs. In addition to volume of trailer traffic, consider the other factors that contribute to wear when selecting product features. For example, trends in trailer design such as air-ride systems, cause added wear on you seals or shelters. Armor Pleats with proper spacing, strong fabrics and other options can give you greater durability and more years of productive service. Support When you choose Rite-Hite seals or shelters, you're getting the world's leading brand. So you can be confident these products are backed by the very best warranties, support, and service in the business. With our worldwide network of highly trained service specialists, you get prompt, professional response for installation, maintenance and follow-up services. Only Rite-Hite offers you all these advantages.

Definition: Dock seals and shelters are fabric structures that surround the top and sides of a loading dock door opening. Dock seals and shelters are designed to be contacted by the trailer as it backs in to the loading dock. Lack or loss of environmental control through an unsealed door can create safety and productivity problems on the loading dock including: employee discomfort, energy loss, theft or security concerns, product damage or contamination, insect infiltration, slippery or dangerous conditions, and loss of temperature control. Every loading dock sealing situation is unique and to determine your specific needs, examine the following factors: situation, environmental control, access, long life, support and options. Try our Seals and Shelters Selection Guide to help yourself better determine what you need! For more information, contact us here!

Without the right restraint, you could face steep consequences. The trailer restraint was engaged on the truck’s rear impact guard. The forklift driver felt safe. He wasn’t. As he entered with a load, the trailer bounced on its air suspension. The rear impact guard “hopped” over the restraint barrier, the trailer edged forward, and the forklift tumbled into the gap between dock and trailer. The young man’s company had seen the futility of wheel chocks and had invested in trailer restraints. But why did this restraint fail to prevent a tragic accident? Because its design did not account for the specific challenges of this company’s loading operations. The lesson is simple: Not all restraints are the same. The wrong one can put you at risk. If you’ve given up on wheel chocks - you should!  You need to evaluate restraints with care, and use the proper tools of the future.

The most important things to consider when evaluating different restraints is how well they prevent trailer separation and how reliably they communicate. Factors specific to your operation will also help guide the selection process. Not all restraints perform the same. You need to consider your specific needs. Types of trailers you service - this is very important due to the varying sizes and types of trailers (common 53' tractor trailer; sea-containers; "train-cart" trailer)

• Dock layout
• Loading practices
• Facility design

Restraint Effectiveness Against Trailer Creep

• Below dock end-loads
• Air-ride trailers

Restraint Effectiveness Against Early Departure

• Gradual vs. aggressive pullout attempts
• Effectiveness of different restraint designs

Restraint Effectiveness Against Trailer Tip-over

• Landing gear failure
• Trailer up-ending
• Collision with other trucks

Communication

• System components
• Safe/unsafe condition alerts

Types of Vehicle Restraints: There are several different types of vehicle restraints. Each style provides a different degree of protection against trailer separation. RIG Dependent - Restraint attaches onto the trailer's RIG (rear impact guard or ICC bar) Vertical barrier restraints - Can address trailer creep and early departure Rotating hook restraints - Can address trailer creep, early departure, landing gear failure and trailer tip-over. Wheel Dependent - Restraint engages trailer's rear wheel(s) instead of the RIG. Used often with lift gate trailers.

Definition: Vehicle restraints / Truck Restraints / Dock-Locks, or trailer restraints, are devices that latch onto trailers to keep them from separating from the dock during loading/unloading. They were first introduced locally to Southern Ontario in the 1980's as a better solution to wheel chocks, which were known to be ineffective. Restraints have been recognized by OSHA since 1981 as an acceptable alternative to wheel chocks - although proven to far exceed the applications and safety protocols of wheel chocks. Types of Trailer Separation: There are five typical causes of trailer separation that can lead to serious accidents if the forklift and driver fall into the gap created between the trailer and the dock: Trailer Creep - Also known as Dock Walk. The trailer gradually moves away from the dock due to the ongoing impact and momentum of the forklift traveling in and out of the trailer. Eventually the leveler lip loses contact with the bed of the trailer and a dangerous gap results between the trailer and dock. Air-ride trailers compound the problem. Early Departure - The truck driver mistakenly pulls away from the dock before loading operations are complete. Due primarily to lack of communication between truck driver and dock workers. Landing Gear Failure - Weak or corroded landing gear give way under the impact of loading and the spotted trailer collapses to the ground. Trailer Upending - A form of trailer tip-over, usually on pup trailers, where the first heavy load placed in the nose of the trailer causes the rear of the trailer to rise. Collision with adjacent trucks - Another form of tip-over whereby a truck departing from one dock position collides with a spotted trailer in the adjacent position, causing it to tip. Accident Facts: Accidents associated with trailer separation at the dock are documented regularly. These accidents are typically very serious and often fatal. They are also extremely costly, due to direct costs of medical care and product and equipment damage, as well as the indirect costs of lost time and increased insurance premiums.

Today, selecting the right dock product for your facility can be more complicated than ever. New models are being introduced. Truck designs are changing. Productivity is critical. And safety is becoming an even bigger issue at docks across the country. There are typically three basic types of Loading Docks: hydraulic, mechanical, and power assisted mechanical units. Each design has its place (depending on the application) but there are distinct differences between each type. So before you select a leveler for your facility, follow this simple six-step procedure for evaluating your needs. By analyzing these key areas, you'll be able to choose the best equipment for your operation.   Here's a brief look at the topics we cover:

• Your Specific Needs
• Safety
• Ease of Operation
• Maintenance
• Reliability/Durability
• Manufacturer Support

  Step 1: Consider your specific needs. Different operations place different demands on a dock leveler. Make sure that the leveler you choose matches your individual requirements. Consider the types of vehicles that will use your dock, trailer dimensions, frequency of use and load capacities. All of these factors will help determine the leveler that's best designed for your operation. Step 2: Put employee safety first. Safety is one of the most critical considerations when selecting any loading dock equipment. The leveler covers the "danger zone" - that gap between the dock and trailer that is crossed by forklifts up to 100,000 times per year. Make sure that the levelers you choose are built for maximum safety in four key areas: (1) vacant dock drop-off protection; (2) free-fall protection; (3) protecting cross-traffic against voids in the floor; and (4) protecting personnel during leveler maintenance. Step 3: Look for easy operation. Convenience is a key consideration in choosing your leveler. For optimum productivity, you want a system that's easy to learn, easy to operate and easy on your personnel. You need to look at the convenience of operation for the three leveler types, hydraulic, mechanical, and power-assisted mechanical to determine which is best suited for your facility. Push-button vs. pull chain, full range float, and lip extension/retraction are just a few of the issues to consider. Step 4: Consider maintenance costs. Initial cost is just part of the picture when evaluating your leveler purchase. Anticipated maintenance and repair costs are also vital factors. Consider the accessibility of components for servicing. Look for simplicity of design. Check the overall quality of construction. And consider the frequency of required maintenance. Levelers can vary widely on these points, which all contribute to the overall lifetime ownership cost of the unit. Step 5: Look for reliability and durability. To get maximum reliability from your dock leveler, consider your specific application and make sure the equipment can meet the challenge. Structural differences between competitive models may not be obvious at first glance. So when evaluating equipment, look closely for dependable design, quality construction, strength and stability. These factors should give you more dependable performance, longer leveler life and lower ownership costs. Step 6: Check manufacturer and representative support. When you choose a dock leveler, you're making a long-term investment. You're choosing an important product. And you're also choosing a company. Make sure you select a manufacturer and local dealer who stand behind the equipment and provide complete service and support. Ask about a company's track record with existing customers. Ask for a product demonstration, and visit a field site where the equipment has been installed for some time. Check out the availability of service specialists. Ask about guaranteed life expectancy of the leveler and make sure you get written warranties.   You can always contact us here with your information and issue, and let us take care of the rest!