|
  Aluminum Loading Ramps
Installing a permanent loading dock in a facility that lacks one is unrealistic in this economy. The expense is too great for most companies to bear in the middle of a recession. An alternative must be found that allows a facility to load and unload trucks safely and quickly, but does not cost a fortune to employ. Aluminum loading ramps provide just that alternative. Designed to be highly portable, yet also very rugged and sturdy, an aluminum loading ramp can provide you will all of the functionality of a full-sized permanent dock at only a fraction of a cost.
Many people assume that the only strong loading dock ramps are made from steel. This is more of a myth than an actuality. Aluminum ramps can be constructed to handle an enormous amount of weight and traffic. In fact, the capacities of aluminum loading dock ramps and their steel equivalents are identical—approximately 16,000 lbs to 30000 lbs. This is strong enough to support forklifts carrying payloads into truck beds, and offers tremendous benefit to remote shipping yards and construction sites where there are no loading docks, but where a very real need exists for delivery product by truck or rail. Although aluminum is a very lightweight metal, it can be rendered strong enough to hold these high weight capacities by building a reinforced structure under the ramp that allows it to endure the stress of heavy payloads and constant forklift traffic. This combines the benefit of a relatively light ramp that is highly portable with a structural durability that can reliably withstand a beating during heavy productions times.
Strength is not the only benefit one can expect from an aluminum loading ramp, however. Worker safety is a critical factor that has to be factored into any equation of efficiency. To minimize the risk of injury, Easy Rack aluminum loading ramps are built with a number of key safety features that make them safe for workers to walk over while pulling pallet racks or moving materials by hand. A 1 ½’ curb prevents pallet rack and forklift roll offs. To ensure the balance of workers who are moving up or down an incline, stability is critical to minimizing trips and falls. This is why aluminum loading ramps are made with safety anchor chains that lock them firmly into position. Further stability is also created under the ramp through rubber shock absorbers that prevent the surface from bouncing up and down when heavy loads are wheeled across its surface. Finally, and possibly most importantly, the surface of the ramp itself is designed to minimize the risk of slipping. Rather than being cast as a single, flat surface, the ramp is actually made out of either aluminum or steel grating that grips the soles of work boots and provide firm footing—even in moist or wet working conditions.
Mobility is another key benefit that aluminum loading ramps offer remote construction sites and rail yards. Because they are much lighter than steel equivalents, they can be pulled behind a fork truck with a tow bar that can be optionally attached to the ramp at the time of manufacture. They are also light enough for one worker to adjust manually by means of a hand-crank hydraulic pump that raises or lowers the ramp into position.
Easy Rack carries a wide variety of used pallet racks, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, and modular prefab buildings installed nationwide. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you. Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont
|
