Prevention or long term cure?
November 1st 2004

Andrew Georgiou looks at the issues surrounding this perennially complex area and details what specifiers should be looking for

In the western world doctors and pharmacists are normally able to deal with the symptoms of an ailment without establishing its cause. Taking a pill may cure your headache today, but you may have another tomorrow.

Alternative practitioners such as acupuncturists and chiropractors adopt a more varied approach, encouraging their patients to visit them on a regular basis, before a problem occurs, so that it is unlikely to develop.

With the various legislative requirements imposed by European Standards and the Health & Safety Executive, and the demand of shareholders to increase profits, it is important to adopt a more holistic approach to the current demands placed on an industrial building.

sara has learned these lessons and it is not uncommon for a sara technical salesman to visit a client for many years before he supplies his first product`, with the knowledge that it is safe, practical, has the lowest possible maintenance cost and will provide a return on investment i.e. ‘It’s good value for money! More importantly, the sara technical salesman will continue to regularly visit the client, so that optimum operational requirements are maintained.

Most industrial buildings are equipped with loading bays, but how many of these have been designed with the full knowledge of the items that effect their overall performance and return to an organisation. sara has experience of customers that have requested 60k/ year to maintain their loading bays, only to copy the same problematic design on future developments. Where was their supplier when they needed them most?

For a bespoke solution that will optimise the efficiency of your operation, levellers, doors and dock seals must be designed to accommodate the full range of vehicles being used. Consideration must be given to the apron of the building and what implication any yard gradients will have on the vehicles approach and its loads. How many buildings show signs of impact damage to their cladding or lintels? Remember excessive gradients can reduce battery life of materials handling equipment or make it difficult for operatives to manoeuvre, slowing down the turnaround of vehicles, increasing costs and reducing efficiency. What effect will building design or planning have on your development? To help investigate these issues, request a full ‘loading bay survey’ from your supplier.

A high percentage of industrial accidents occur on the loading bay. Safety on the loading bay relies on effective communication between the dock operator and vehicle driver. How do you do this? sara can recommend a solution that will improve safety while considering the implications on your daily operations.

Sometimes, the simplest solutions cost very little.

For example, many customers simply instruct their drivers to hook their keys onto the loading bay door. When the door opens, the keys are out of reach. The vehicle cannot move until the door is closed and the bay secure. No injuries, no damage, no theft NO COST, just plane old ‘common sense’.

The interface of the delivery/despatch vehicle to the building is crucial to improve safety and environmental requirements.

Choosing the correct dock seal depends on vehicle types, size of loads, size of door opening, temperature requirements and vehicle approach. How many vehicles are not effectively sealed, thereby increasing the company’s energy costs?

Choosing the correct dock leveller depends on vehicles, vehicle loads and turnaround. Suppliers can advise on mandatory requirements relating to European and British Standards.

If you want to avoid that annoying headache, ensure that you are prescribed the right medicine. For more details, visit www.saralbs.co.uk.

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