How to Winterize Your Warehouse Docks Before the Cold Weather Hits
The weather's just beginning to cool off. Time for end-of-year preparations to begin!
Preventative maintenance done now means fewer risks for accidents or violations later. The holiday rush only magnifies those risks, so a little preparation now means a lot of smooth operations later.
Here's one preparation Cromer recommends—winterize your warehouse doors.
4 Reasons to Winterize Your Warehouse
Even if you winterized last year, or the year before, it pays to take another look. Why? You gain 4 advantages right away:
1. Reduce Winter Power Costs
How much energy does your warehouse need to heat it over winter? Do you want to add 15-20% more to the already-high cost? Of course not.
But that's what happens when you have gaps in your door seals.
Properly-sealed doors save you money on heating. Nothing new, but now's the time to verify.
2. Preserve Worker Safety During the Holiday Rush (and Afterward)
The last thing any of us wants is ice build-up on the floor near a dock. It practically guarantees workers slipping—or a forklift!
Gaps in seals or brushes allow cold air & water to make their way inside, creating slippery spots.
3. Keep Bugs Out
The bugs are coming! They'll come indoors to escape the cold soon.
If door seals or brushes have holes in them—even little ones—they'll rush on inside, crawling over your products, contaminating areas nobody wants contaminated.
4. Avoid FDA Penalties
We all know the FDA conducts regular checks on warehouses, especially facilities distributing critical items like food, water, and medical supplies.
FDA inspectors check docks using the "light test" –
- Turn off the lights
- Stand by the docks
- Look to see if any light comes through the door seals or brushes
- Fine your company for any light that shows through the door, at $300 per door
How to Winterize Docks & Doors
Winterizing only takes two major steps: Run tests on your docks & doors, and then patch or replace the parts that need replacing.
STEP 1: TESTING
- Check all dock seals & brushes. Use three tests: the Hand Test, the Light Test, and Visual Inspections.
- HAND TEST
- Two-part: First, pass your hand around the door to feel for drafts
- Next, grasp the door seal & run your fingers through the brushes. If you feel any cracking in the seal rubber, or missing areas in the brushes, it's time to replace them.
- LIGHT TEST
- Do the same test the FDA does—just without the steep fines!
- Do the same test the FDA does—just without the steep fines!
- VISUAL INSPECTIONS
- You're looking for any signs of wear/damage:
- Cracks in the seals
- Holes
- Severe fraying in the brush ends
- Gaps between the seal & door
- Torn or missing weather stripping
Tip: Ask your team if anyone's seen damage on the docks already. If it's there, chances are someone's seen it.
- You're looking for any signs of wear/damage:
- HAND TEST
- Check all doors, indoor & outdoor. Verify all doors operate correctly, and have been recently lubricated. If you don't see any lubrication in recent service history, have a technician lubricate.
- Walk all ramps, looking for any soft spots or cracked rubber.
STEP 2: REPAIR/REPLACEMENT
- If you do find damage or gaps, replace the seal/bumper/brush. Serious damage to the doors themselves may mean replacing the door as well.
- Rerun the tests in Step 1 after any replacements.
Plan Ahead for Cold Weather and Save on Operations Costs
Don't have time to run tests like these? Cromer's Warehouse Systems Division can handle all of these for you.
Our dock & door specialists can come onsite and conduct the tests, source any needed replacement materials, and take care of installation and repair. Before the winter weather hits.
Contact your local Cromer's Warehouse Systems Division to start.
Northern California: 800.870.5438
Central/Southern California: 800.464.3225
Las Vegas/Southern Nevada: 702.207.4700
Until next month!
Marshall Cromer, The Forklift Boss
Cromer Material Handling
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