Loading docks are an integral part of many worksites here in Indiana and Illinois. They can be found in railyards and shipyards as well as our many warehouses, industrial facilities, manufacturing plants, factories, farms, mines, and mills. Loading docks are also one of the most dangerous workplaces for workers in our part of the country; if employers do not respect their duties for loading dock safety, serious or fatal accidents will result.
- For more, read Fatal Industrial Warehouse Accidents in Indiana and Illinois and Supply Chain Fatalities: Accident Injury Dangers with Material Handling and Storage in Indiana and Illinois.
What is a Loading Dock?
Loading docks are essential for things like: accepting incoming deliveries of goods and freight; inspecting and signing for shipments; preparation of outgoing freight; and delivery of outgoing goods and packages to carriers. While loading docks and loading bays are two terms used interchangeably, technically the “bay” is the general freight loading/unloading area whereas the “dock” is a location within the bay where vehicles are physically loaded or unloaded with freight.
Different Types of Loading Docks
For road transport of goods, large amounts of freight will be moved by “pallet shipping” where large commercial trucks are needed. Semi-trucks, container trucks, and other big rigs will pull up to the dock to be loaded. Smaller packages of freight may be transferred to a large cargo van at a loading dock. These docks can be found at warehouses, steel mills, mines, factories, commercial farms, logging operations, manufacturing plants, and industrial facilities. Consider that the John Deere Warehouse in Milan, Illinois, is recognized as the “worlds’ largest factory parts warehouse,” covering 2.6 Million square feet.
Rail docks allow railroad freight cars to be loaded or unloaded of goods. Box cars, centerbeams, coil cars, and other types of rail cars are all involved in the logistics industry of Indiana and Illinois. Rail docks usually involve large and heavy packaged freight, which may need to be moved to temporary storage facilities at the railyard in-between shipping and delivery. An example of this type of rail dock can be found at the Commtrex Madison RR Transload located in Madison, Indiana.
Our local ports have loading docks, as well, where freight and cargo is loaded and unloaded onto ships. Cargo transfer and cargo storage are two loading dock services provided here. The Port of Chicago, located on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, is an internationally known commercial shipping port with its origins in the 1800s’ fur trade. See, “FreightWaves Classics: Port of Chicago billed as the ‘greatest intermodal facility in North America’,” written by Scott Mall and published by FreightWaves Classics on July 2, 2021.
Workers on the Loading Dock
Workers on these loading docks will include not only the loading dock workers assigned specific dock tasks on a daily basis, but drivers of forklifts and trucks who work for the same employer who may not be as well-versed to docking operations and safety protocols. There will also be independent parties who work as independent contractors or for third party employers coming to the loading dock; usually, these will be drivers of delivery vehicles that are dropping off or picking up freight and cargo.
While some cargo may be loaded by hand, most loading dock freight is heavy, and requires the use of heavy machinery and motor vehicles to move it. To this end, workers at our loading docks may be required to drive forklifts or operate cranes to facilitate the loading of trucks, railcars, or ships.
These are two high risk jobs, both for the forklift driver or crane operator as well as those who are on the job nearby. The risk of falling cargo, shifting freight, or collisions between vehicles or pedestrians is great. For more, read: Forklift Accidents: Serious and Deadly Industrial Truck Injuries on the Job and Crane Accidents: Catastrophic Injuries and Fatalities in Indiana and Illinois.
Loading Dock Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
No matter their location, whether warehouse or railyard or port, loading docks are inherently dangerous places. Serious or fatal injuries can occur at any time because of things like:
Loading Dock Gap
There may be a vacant area, or gap, between the loading dock and the vehicle (truck, forklift, railcar, etc.) where the victim can fall and suffer harm.
Falling Loads
If the cargo is not properly secured, it can shift and fall from its position where the victim can be struck or caught in-between and have permanent or deadly bodily injuries.
Blind Spots on the Loading Dock
The dock’s design or maintenance may cause a blind spot for the vehicle driver who is maneuvering to the dock in order to load or unload cargo, which may result in a tragic accident where a pedestrian is hurt or killed.
Exposure to Hazardous Materials
Cargo containers moved on our local loading docks may well contain toxins or hazardous materials which mandate special care and protections. If safety protocols are not followed, victims may be harmed by exposure to chemicals resulting in catastrophic harm or death.
Justice for Loading Dock Accident Victims in Indiana and Illinois
Of course, there are state and federal laws in place designed to protect against loading dock accidents where people are hurt or killed. Employers who employ workers on our loading docks have a clear legal duty to make sure these workplaces are safe for their employees. This duty to keep people safe from harm on the loading dock will also extend to third parties who are harmed by the negligent actions of the owners, operators, or supervisors of the loading dock and loading bay.
Any loading dock accident victim who suffers serious harm deserves an independent investigation into the causes of the incident to determine if legal duties were breached, causing the harm, as well as identifying all those who may be held legally accountable for the accident and its consequences. For workers, this may include the state laws of negligence and workers’ compensation. For third parties, negligence, product liability, personal injury, and wrongful death laws may apply. In some instances, federal law will apply to the matter.
Loading dock accidents can be life-altering events, and it is vital that those responsible for keeping these areas safe and secure understand their legal duties of care both to workers, third parties on the site, and the loved ones of those hurt in a loading dock tragedy.
For more, read:
- Haz Mat Semi-Truck Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: The Dangers of Hazardous Materials Being Hauled on our Roadways
- Chemical Accidents: Burns, Inhalation, or Neurological Work Injuries on the Job in Indiana or Illinois
- Death on the Job: Industrial Accident Fatalities in Illinois and Indiana
- Fatal Falls on the Job and the Employers Failure to Protect Worker From Fall Risk
- Injuries to Longshoremen and Harbor Workers in Indiana and Illinois: Maritime Accidents
- Indiana Remains Top Steel Producer in the Nation: The Deadly Dangers of Steel Production
- Do Railroad Workers Face an Increased Risk of Work Injury and Accidents on the Job?
Here in the Crossroads of America, loading docks are much more prevalent workplaces than in other parts of the country. Our growing logistics industry has a clear duty to keep loading docks safe. Please be careful out there!
