Blue Giant TL-85

The Problem 

Tube-Lite came to W.W. Cannon with a safety problem common to warehouse loading docks. In an effort to address the safety hazards posed by the loading dock environment, the customer purchased a manual vehicle restraint and light communication system from a competitor. With this system, the process was as follows:

• Employee manually engages the truck to the restraint system    
• Employee manually switches the light pattern on the communication system to tell the driver NOT to pull away
• Employee loads the truck
• Employee manually disengages the restraint system from the truck.
• Employee manually switches the light pattern on the communication system to signal the driver to pull away.

As you can imagine, there were several points of failure. Miscommunication between the driver and warehouse worker resulted in premature pull-away from the loading dock, damaging equipment, and trucks. Employees would forget to utilize the light communication system, causing confusion among employees and drivers. At times, the manual engagement system failed to completely disengage, resulting in accidental re-engagement after the truck and trailer left, leaving the restraint susceptible to the damage seen in photo A1.

No employees had been hurt, but they feared this was only a matter of time. A strict set of manual procedures required to engage and disengage the truck restraint and accurately set the light communication system had failed to mitigate the weakest link in the process – the human element. 

The Solution

Automate the securement process as much as possible. This was accomplished by installing new, hydraulically actuated, vehicle restraints (Model: Blue Giant TL-85).

The TL-85 vehicle restraint system offers an easy way for warehouse workers to “set it and forget it”. With the press of a button, the restraint automatically engages the trailer’s DOT bar – securing it to the building and ensuring a premature pull-away is not possible. Once a proper engagement is set, the light communication system displays a red light visible to the truck driver indicating loading has begun, and displays a green light to the warehouse workers indicating the truck is properly secured and it is safe to begin. Ah, you may ask, “What happens when a proper engagement is not possible?” The automated system displays a yellow light – visible to the warehouse workers – along with a mutable alarm warning that additional securement is needed.

W.W. Cannon replaced a total of ten manual vehicle restraints in Tube-Lite’s warehouse with the Blue Giant TL-85 automated models. Our customer is happy knowing the equipment, product and workers will be productive and safe with the human element removed.