Last week, we talked about how to make sure your elevated loading bay is prepared to handle anything that comes your way.
But what if your loading area is at ground level? Or if you’re storing stuff in a garage, shed, etc.?
There are certainly benefits to having your entrance at ground level. It allows you to easy push stuff in and out of the storage area. People can also enter directly through loading doorway instead of having to walk around to another door.
However, if you have a semitrailer backing its way up to your entrance, you’re going to need a way to get the cargo down to ground level. You have a few options on how to do this.
A Forklift
If you’re unloading pallets, and they happen to be right at the edge of the truck, you can use a forklift to hoist them down. Obviously if you’re trying to just use a forklift from ground level, you’re pretty limited in how far you can reach back.
A Scissor Lift
Whether it’s a mobile lift or (more likely) one that is built into the ground, a lift platform can bring you up to the truck, and then right back down to ground level. The trouble with lifts is they are expensive.
Mobile Loading Ramps
Dock ramps (also called yard ramps) are a great piece of equipment for any storage and warehouse facility to have. Dock ramps provide a strong and stead surface for forklifts and pallet jacks to get right up into a trailer.
They’re typically fashioned with highly durable pneumatic tires making them a perfect mobile solution. Since there are no mechanical or electronic parts to a loading ramp, they are a cheaper loading solution than many other things are.
And if You Need a Bit More Room
You can always had a portable dock platform to the end of loading ramp, providing an actual place that trucks can back right up to.
With a portable dock platform and a dock ramp, your loading bay can be wherever you need it to be.
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