Aluminum Loading Dock Ramps

It may be unrealistic for you to install a permanent loading dock in your facility due to the current recession. A more economical alternative to concrete, permanent docks is one or more aluminum loading ramp(s). Aluminum loading ramps are built to be both stable and portable, and can provide all of the functionality of a full-sized permanent dock at only a fraction of a cost.

You might have heard that only steel ramps are sturdy enough for heavy loading dock operations. This is a myth. Aluminum ramps are designed to handle both heavy payloads and human foot traffic. In fact, they can handle the same amount of weight as their steel counterparts--approximately 16,000 lbs to 30000 lbs. You can safely drive fork lift trucks up these ramps into trucks and operate a remote shipping yard or construction site just like a warehouse loading dock.

Even though aluminum is a lightweight metal, it can be reinforced to enable it to safely support high weight capacities. 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.

Heavy duty strength is not the only advantage you receive from an aluminum loading ramp. A number of key safety features are built into aluminum loading ramps that make them safe for workers to walk over while pulling pallet racks or carrying materials by hand. A 1 ½ʼ curb provides guidance up the ramp and prevents pallet rack and forklift roll offs. It is also important to keep the ramp from swaying to one side or the other while workers are walking up the incline. Safety chains anchor the ramp in place to keep it fixed in position. Rubber shock absorbers underneath the aluminum ramp prevent heavy loads from bouncing it up and down. Diamond-shaped grating on the surface of the deck provides extra traction for wheels and work boots, making the surface more slip resistant in rainy weather.

Because aluminum loading ramps and equipment are used so much in remote locations, it is also important that the by highly mobile. Portability, therefore, another key benefit you can expect to add to your rail yard or construction site with these remarkable tools. Because they are much lighter than steel equivalents, they can be pulled much more easily behind a fork truck attached to 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 loading dock equipment, used pallet racks, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting,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 loading dock equipment company 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.

Edge Dock Levelers

When do buildings need dock levelers?
Whenever they do not have docks that match the height of today’s truck. Over the years, trucks have become much taller. Standard beds average a height of 52-53” and refrigerated beds range from 54-55”. Older buildings may have docks as low as 45”-49” and require some sort of dock leveler equipment to facilitate fork truck traffic from the dock to the truck.

What is an “edge of dock” leveler?
An edge of dock leveler attaches to the side of the dock, extending its range by 5” vertically and 5” horizontally. This means that if a dock is 49” in height, an edge of dock unit can enable it to access trucks measuring 54” in height. They are much more economical than pit mounted loading dock levelers, which have to be embedded in the concrete itself and represent a considerable cost for a retrofit.

How does an edge of dock leveler work?
When a truck backs up to the EOD leveler, two rubber bumpers stop it in precisely the right position. The ramp is then into position with a tool known as a ratchet riser. This bridges the distance between the dock equipment and the bed of the truck so forklifts, fork trucks, pallet jacks, and workers can cross over. With refrigerator trucks, it is normally necessary to install a refrigerator lip on the edge of the ramp to extend it an additional three inches into the truck bed.

What is the difference between a lo-dock leveler and an edge of dock leveler?
A lo-dock leveler is a factory add-on that increases the height differential of an edge of dock unit. In some older buildings, the dock height is significantly less than that of today’s modern trucks. Buildings that were built in the 40’s and 50’s may have docks as low as 45”-48”. The problem with using an edge of dock leveler alone is that it will only add 5” to this height—an insufficient amount. For buildings like this, Easy Rack can arrange to add a lo-dock leveler to an edge of dock unit. Such a unit can then add up to 11” total to any dock height, effectively overcoming the 5” limit of standard edge of dock levelers.

How much weight can an edge of dock leveler handle?
Most edge of dock levelers will handle capacities between 20,000 and 25,000 pounds. Many are manufactured with a self-storing handle that makes them easy to position by pulling the handle to the dock floor. The latch assembly activates the lip forward to the floor of the trailer when the handle is lifted, and the handle automatically returns to the stored position when it is released. Edge of dock levelers include bumpers and bumper blocks and can be custom manufactured in widths of 72” and 78” per request.

Are you looking for a loading dock equipment company? Easy Rack also carries a wide variety of commercial & industrial netting, used pallet racks, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting,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 main office is deep in the heart of Texas with associates 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, Texas, Denton, TX, McKinney, Texas, Midland, TX, Killeen, Texas, Dallas TX DFW, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

Loading Dock Lifts

Loading Dock Lifts
Scissor Table loading dock lifts will help to reduce man-hours and improve safety when a facility lacks a loading dock. A lift controlled by hydraulic cylinders raises materials to the truck. Easy Rack loading dock lifts are engineered for optimal safety, help reduce the risk of injuries, and greatly improve time to market efficiency. Every unit features user-friendly controls in the form of a push button, 24V AC on a 20 foot long coil cord. A pre-wired control box includes a magnetic starter and overload fuse, and an emergency velocity fuse stops momentum in the event of a line break.

Loading dock lifts also have high visibility, removable handrails with fixed toe boards. The checkered deck plate on each unit is manufactured from heavy gauge steel and is intended to last for years. The perimeter of the platform is surrounded by beveled toe-guards and electric toe-guards to prevent slips and falls. The electric toe-guard is a patented device essential to the safety of personnel. It is made from L-shaped aluminum extrusion and hangs below the entire perimeter of the deck. This is important, because if the loading dock lift is being lowered when a worker’s hand or foot crosses its path, the guard will be triggered and the scissor table will automatically stop. When the object is removed, the lift table once again begins to move. It is not necessary to reset the unit to resume operation.

Toe-guard provisions are standard OSHA and ANSI safety measures present on a variety of platforms. They built into the scissor table loading dock lift for compliance protocol. The unit is also semi-portable, and can be operated up to 8 feet away from the 6.5 HP motor that drives it.

Easy Rack offers a number of premium scissor table loading dock lift options that can be requested at the time of your order. These options customize the unit to specific requirements and tasks, and they can be obtained through your Easy Rack Specialist at no additional cost.

Premium Truck Scissor Dock Lift Options

SPLIT ALUMINUM TRUCK BRIDGE
The standard steel bridge can be replaced with an aluminum bridge measuring 72" wide x 18" long. This is ideal for government applications.

SPLIT STEEL BRIDGE
If necessary, an additional 72" wide x 18" long split steel bridge can be added to the opposite side of unit.

REMOVABLE HANDRAILS/TOE BOARDS
This is advantages when the unit is mounted in a pit. The additional handrails and toe boards allows the loading dock lift to be flush with the floor for fork truck cross traffic.

WARNING BEEPER & STROBE
In areas of heavy human traffic, this offers an added safety precaution The beeper sounds at 80 decibels- loud enough to be heard over most light machinery.

ADDITIONAL APPROACH RAMPS
Easy Rack can also fit the loading dock lift with additional approach ramps and hydraulic lines. Approach ramps can be obtained from your Easy Rack specialist for lowered height lifts of 8”-12”, depending on the size of the added ramp. Approach ramps must be anchored to the floor.

ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL CHANNEL AND SUPPORTS FOR DECK
Ideal for heavy duty construction, this increases the rollover capacity of the loading dock lift up to 50,000 lbs., (25,000 lbs. per axle).

SAFETY ACCORDION SKIRTS
Keep people and debris from getting under the loading dock lift. We recommend customer installed skirts to avoid freight damage.

SPECIAL RESERVOIR MOUNTING
We can fabricate a platform for your power unit if motor cannot sit on the ground or if unit is portable.

AUTOMATIC WHEEL CHOCKS
As the unit lifts, this option blocks the dock end of the ramp to avoid roll off. Wheel clocks require a special pit mount.

STOP SIGNAL SIGN
As the truck approaches the loading dock lift, the sign will raise to let the driver know when to stop for safe loading/unloading.

KEY LOCK OPERATION
This prevents unauthorized use of the lift by locking out the controls.

TWO SPEED PUMP
Increase lifting speed by 55% when lift is unloaded. This is ideal for unloading applications.

SPECIAL COATINGS
Cold galvanized coating is designed for wash down applications and wet environments. STEEL-IT™ COATING is designed for incidental food contact and wash down environments. FDA approved.

OIL HEATER
The oil heater will keep the loading dock lift operating smoothly in extreme cold. The unit comes with a thermostat for automatic heat control.

Easy Rack carries commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting, used pallet racks, and modular prefab buildings available nationwide.

If you can not find the dock equipment you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you. Our loading dock equipment company is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including Memphis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Maryland, Irving, Texas, Amarillo, TX, Brownsville, Texas, Grand Prairie, TX, Pasadena, Texas, Fort Worth, Texas., El Paso, Texas., Charlotte, N.C, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Seattle, Washington, Boston, Massachusetts, Denver, Colorado, Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky.