| The loading dock design and construction are part of the basic architecture of the building, and an adequate loading dock should be part of your site selection criteria. If your company has a separate Shipping and Receiving department, they will probably have the last word in determining how the loading dock is set up. Figure 10-1. Loading Docks With a Large Area in Which Trucks Can Easily Maneuver  It is not within the scope of this book to look at all the possible configurations, but some important factors should be kept in mind during the planning stages: -
Safety. Safety should be the primary concern of loading dock design. Loading, unloading, warehousing, and distribution are rated among the most hazardous of industries. A single accident can cost thousands to millions of dollars in insurance, downtime, and liability costs. Consider safety systems carefully . Good lighting, good drainage, good ventilation , vehicle restraints, dock bumpers, striping, indicator lights, wheel chocks, safety barriers, and hydraulic dock levelers are just a few of these considerations. -
Flexibility. Advances occur in trucking and material handling which can dramatically effect the design of the docking facilities. Future trends must be taken into consideration. Loading docks must be equipped with features that ensure workability and safety throughout its lifetime. -
Durability. Loading docks take a lot of abuse. The effort and expense of using quality materials and durable designs will pay for itself in the long run. -
Bigger trucks. Trucks are getting longer and wider. Many trucks are now 102 inches wide and can be 80 feet long, or longer. If such large-capacity trucks will be used, the docking area and the maneuvering area must be designed to accommodate them. -
Truck access. Some truck trailer floors are as low as 36 inches to increase ceiling height. To accommodate these trucks, the dock must have portable ramps, truck levelers, dock levelers, or some other way to equalize the distance between dock floor and trailer floor. -
Separation from data center. Access points from the loading/shipping/receiving areas should not open directly into the data center due to the problems of contamination and the loss of air pressure. -
Climate control. Dock seals and shelters help to maintain the internal climate, protect merchandise, create security, save energy, and keep the area safe from rain, snow, and wind that pose a threat to human safety. -
Use specialists. Every loading dock has its own special requirements. Consult with qualified loading dock specialists during the design stages. Shipping and Receiving Shipping and receiving will usually occur at the loading dock. Computer equipment can be large, heavy, and have special requirements such as the use of air-ride equipped trucks, but many shipping and receiving groups don't consider these factors for their loading docks. Below is a brief checklist of things to consider. These areas should have the following features: -
Protection from rain, snow, wind, etc. -
Accessible by large equipment, forklifts, pallet jacks , trucks, etc. -
Area for maneuverability of heavy equipment and vehicles. This must take the turning radius of large vehicles into consideration. Also consider ventilation areas for exhaust fumes. -
The path from receiving to the data center should be unobstructed, have wide enough access, and have ramps available at different levels. -
Secure access points. -
Air-ride equipped trucks for transporting equipment. For information on ramps and lifts, see the section "Ramps and Lifts" on page 72 of Chapter 6, "Implementing a Raised Floor." |
