May/June 2019 - 24

CUTTING EDGE
FRESH-CUT RESEARCH
Creating a complete loading dock seal
DRIVE-THROUGH DESIGN CREATES SYSTEM THAT
IMPROVES COLD CHAIN, SATISFIES FSMA STANDARDS
A COLD CHAIN
By Walt Swietlik
Director of
Customer Relations
and Sales Support,
Rite-Hite
can breakdown at
many different points
from point of origin
to the consumer.
I n c o n si s te n t
temperature control
during shipment, poor
temperature control
inside the warehouse
and product sitting on
an open dock (or in an
open trailer) for long
periods of time are
all common scenarios
for cold chain disruption. Considering
the value of a standard over the road
food shipment is between $50,000 and
$100,000 (with reefer loads going up to
$1 million), any glitch in a cold chain's
integrity can become immensely costly.
Within this supply chain, facility
managers of produce processing
facilities probably have the most control
of the loading dock area. However,
ensuring proper food handling practices
are performed is easier said than done.
Fortunately, there are ways to improve
cold chain, enhance security and
improve operational efficiencies with
the right system of dock equipment. And
with more aspects of the Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA) coming
into effect, it's even more critical for
facilities that regularly manufacture
or process food to pay attention to the
loading dock.
Sealing the dock perimeter
Ensuring a complete environmental
seal between the back of the semitrailer
and the inside of the loading
dock is the first step. This connection
is vital in keeping outside air from
infiltrating temperature-controlled
operations inside the dock. A complete
seal also helps prevent wind, rain,
dust, bugs and other contaminants
from getting inside the building.
24 MAY/ JUNE 2 019
Some of the newest dock shelters
have been specifically designed with
the food industry in mind. Designs
that complement the vertical storing
dock leveler and allow trailer doors to
be opened inside of the building are
ideal. Through special design features,
shelters ensure tight sealing against
trailer sides, across the full width
of the trailer top and at the corners,
without interfering with trailer doors
being opened and closed after the
trailer has been parked at the dock.
It's important for facility managers
to find an under-leveler seal that closes
gaps between the bottom of the trailer
and the edge of the dock. Not only does
this enhance the cold chain, it helps keep
out pests and effectively minimizing
weather-related damage to products.
Drive-through setup
In order to get the most out of a
loading dock shelter with an excellent
seal, a drive-through application
allows produce processing facilities to
meet nearly any cold chain challenge.
This method effectively creates a true
extension to a facility; enhancing cold
chain and supply chain integrity. This
is because security seals are only
broken inside facilities. In addition
to the proper dock shelters, a drivethrough
set-up requires a system of
equipment that works together.
Vertical-storing levelers
Creating a smooth bridge from the
trailer to inside the facility is a matter
of operational safety and efficiency.
While traditional levelers perform
this function admirably, not all types
allow for drive-through capabilities.
A vertical-storing leveler can.
Levelers that store vertically -
inside the facility - help maintain cold
chain integrity, environmental control
and security. This is because security
seals can be broken and trailer doors
can be opened and closed inside the
loading dock instead of on the drive
approach, which improves cold chain
integrity and enhances the security of
products and processes.
Unlike a pit-style leveler, a vertical
leveler (when in the stored position)
allows the loading dock door to close
directly on the pit floor instead of on the
leveler. This difference means fewer gaps
for outside air to get inside temperature
controlled operations that are critical
in the produce processing industry. It
also effectively reduces energy lost by
minimizing outside air infiltration.
Additionally, the vertical design
makes it easy to clean or wash down
the pit floor when the leveler is in
the upright and stored position. Since
ease of cleaning is a major component
to sanitary transport rules, this type
of leveler is recognized as a major
upgrade in new FSMA standards.
Role of vehicle restraints
Automatic vehicle restraints have
become ubiquitous at loading docks.
They automatically engage a trailer's
rear-impact guard (RIG) or rear wheels
to secure the trailer to the loading
dock when it backs into position.
They provide safety for workers at the
loading dock and can prevent potential
tampering that might occur if a trailer
was able to pull away from the facility.
Some automatic restraints feature
a control panel that can be integrated
into building management or security
systems, providing another level of
security and protection against
external tampering. The most advanced
restraints will actually re-fire if there is
tampering or the trailer attempts to pull
away when in the locked position. Some
models can even help secure intermodal
overseas container chassis, which have
become increasingly common across
the food industry supply chain.
See CUTTING EDGE, page 25
May/June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2019
