Dock lifts are a type of scissors lift with a large platform. They are used primarily to load/unload materials from trucks to a dock or to the ground. 

A dock lift provides a number of benefits. 

✓ They are the best solution for loading and unloading trucks for a ground level application. 

✓ They eliminate the danger and space requirements associated with a ramp and they improve safety by eliminating manual handling of freight from the truck bed height to the ground. 

✓ They can be found in different sizes and lifting capacities to suit a wide range of loading dock applications (and yes, they can be custom made).

✓ There is more secure level unloading from the bed of a truck than any other alternative.

✓ Dock lifts are the only equipment able to reach from ground level to any range of truck size, from low step vans to large refrigerated reefers.

✓ They allow your lifting equipment (forklift, pallet jack, walkie, etc.) to load or unload most trucks you will receive.

✓ A dock lift replaces concrete ramps and truck wells.

CHOOSING A DOCK LIFT

STEP 1: Choose What Application Works Best for You

Top of Ground Dock Lifts:

✓ They can be launched on any flat concrete slabs.

✓ There is no need for pit work. 

✓ You can move the dock lift in the future without difficulties. 

✓ Their capacities range from 4,000 lbs. up to 15,000 lbs. and the size of the platform from 6” to 6’ up to 8’ X 12’. 

✓ The price of a ground dock lift is usually higher than the cost of the recessed units. Although if you sum the cost of the pit construction, the price of the top of ground dock lifts can be quite competitive.

Benefits of The Pit Mounted Recessed Dock Lifts:

✓ These units are usually less expensive than the Top of Ground units.

✓ The main benefit is that these units are mounted flush with surrounding surfaces, so they will not become an obstacle to drive over traffic (this is important to keep in mind mainly if the dock lift will be installed in a doorway). 

✓ Recessed units offer level loading at ground level and at truck height. When mounted within the face of docks, they can provide easy dock to ground access (top of ground units can do the same if the units are mounted immediately adjacent to the dock and the approach ramps are shortened.

STEP 2: Platform Size

The platform size is determined by the type of transport equipment that will be used to load and/or unload trucks. 99% of all applications are mentioned below:

- The minimum suggested platform width is 6’. 
- Guardrails use 4’ - 8’ of usable platform width on some models. Keep in mind there should be at least 4’ of clearance on each side of the widest load as well as a 48’ wide pallet for ease of maneuvering.  
- When the loads are wider and/or some users like to unload two pallets side by side, the 7’ and 8’ wide platforms are the best options.
- When  the loads are four wheeled carts or baskets, or the load is limited to two-wheeled hand carts, then a 6’ platform length is more than enough. 
- An 8’ platform length is considered as minimum for the manual pallet jacks. 
- Power pallet jacks works better with 10’ lengths  to fit the load in a comfortable way
- Straddle stackers work well on 10’ platforms. 
- Fork trucks are usually much longer, so they normally require platforms in the 10’ to 12’ range.
- Unusual loads may require custom designed units with platform widths of 10’ - 12’ and platform lengths of up to 65’.

STEP 3: Capacities

✓ Lifting Capacity:  
When the size of the platform has been determined, you just need to add the maximum weight of the goods being loaded/unleaded + the weight of the transport equipment + the operator’s weight to arrive at a lifting capacity.

✓ Axle Rating Capacity: 
Axle loads on manually propelled carts and pallet jacks are too light to be of concern. 
Manual pallet jacks divide payload weight between two axles
Powered pallet jacks and straddle stackers usually concentrate 60% of the combined payload and equipment weight on their rear axle. Powered pallet jacks can move heavier loads than manual equipment. Fork trucks usually concentrate 80% of the maximum payload plus fork truck weight on the front axle, very few trucks may run up to  90% concentrations. 
It is wise to compare the axle loads produced by your equipment vs. the rating of the dock lifts to be safe. 

✓ Roll over capacity: 
This capacity only applies for recessed units, and it refers to the maximum axle load allowed for vehicles driving over a fully lowered lift. The majority of recessed dock lifts are rated for 10,000# axle load slow speed drive over. It is important to keep in mind that large specialty vehicles and high capacity fork trucks with small hard wheels can exceed these limits. In those cases, it is important to warn the lift manufacturer and they can modify the lifts to accommodate larger loads with thicker deck plates and other forms of reinforcement.

STEP 4: Power Units and Controls  
The operator who rides the lift must be the one controlling the up down controls, if operated in a different way, could cause an accident. NEMA 4 push-buttons, usually mounted on cords, are the standard controls for most companies. 

These are some of the items that can be adapted/replaced from the power units and controls:

✓ Cords length can be adapted (these could be longer for security options). 

✓ The hand held controls can be replaced with key lock push-buttons that are mounted on the platforms. 

✓ Limit switches may be added to cause the lift to stop at fixed dock heights.

✓ Power units on top of ground units are usually mounted on the lifts and covered with weather protection. 

✓ Recessed lifts typically have remote power units that are mounted inside buildings, but weather covers can be ordered for outdoor mounting. 

✓ Oil immersion heaters are important options for power units that will be exposed to cold winter outdoor temperatures.

STEP 5: The Size of the Bridges 
The size of the bridge is dictated by the gap from the lift to the back of the truck bed. Ideally, there should be a 4” to 6” extension onto the truck bed. 

- When lifts are located inside of buildings with a wall between the lift and the truck, the bridge (longer than usual) can rest against a wear strip on the wall and will then automatically reach into the truck as the lift is elevated and retract as the lift is lowered (in these cases, extra weight is not a concern).

- Bridge weight is dependent on both length and capacity. Manually operated bridge weight is a concern when the bridge is 24” or longer.

- There are options to mitigate bridge weight such as splitting the bridges into two sections, aluminum bridges or hydraulically operated bridges with push button controls.

Other things to keep in mind is that there are other additional options such as special paint finishes, special platform surfaces, wheel chocks, hydraulic fluids, gates, among others.

If you need more information on choosing the right dock lifts (or loading dock equipment in general) for your premises, please contact us, it will be our pleasure to serve you.

Service areas: Northern New Jersey (Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Essex, Morris, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer and Somerset county/counties), Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester, and Rockland.

What we do: We sell, install, repair and maintain commercial overhead doors, operators, and loading dock equipment since 1981.

Note: The above white paper was copied word for word from Advanced Lifts Mfg.

IDA Expo 2020
President's Awards Banquet

The Jerry R. Reynolds Volunteer Leadership Award went to
Ranee Patel for her involvement with the IDA Young Professionals Network

Every year, the International Door Association (IDA) recognizes companies and individuals who have served IDA or the garage door industry in an extraordinary way. 

This year, we are proud to announce that our Service Manager, Ranee Patel, was chosen for the Volunteer Leadership Award due to her invaluable contribution to IDA's Young Professionals Network (YPN). This award was given at the President's Award Banquet at the International Door Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah in March 2020.

The mission of the IDA Young Professionals Network is to help young professionals build a community of peers within IDA and to promote and support young professionals in their careers. Ranee's main goal was to make sure that young garage door professionals have access to a space where they can grow through mentoring, leadership development and where they can connect with their peers.

IDA's Video About Ranee's Volunteer Work

Click here to read the full article

Congratulations Ranee, we are VERY proud of you! 

Every year people die or are seriously injured as a result of fires in non-domestic properties. In many cases, businesses are not able to recover from the effects of fire as, besides the human risk, fire can cost millions of dollars due to property damage, products loss, fines, compensations and insurance premiums.

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees by taking the right measures to prevent fires and reduce the risks in their premises.

The following Fire Risk Assessment will let you identify a specific range of protective measures that are appropriate for your premises.

1. Identify the fire hazards
2. Identify the people at risk
3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect against fire risk
4. Create an exit route and an emergency plan.
5. Create a fire prevention plan, instruct, inform and train
   
   

Several passive fire protection measures may be necessary to limit and control the spread of the smoke or the spread of the fire. The following are some of the measures that need to be considered:

• Fire and smoke curtains
• Fire doors and fire counter doors
• Fire shutters
• Fire alarm/fire detector
• Fire resistant glazing
• Intumescent sealing systems
• Fire stopping or seals
• Among others

FIRE RATED DOORS, SHUTTERS & CURTAINS

Fire Rated Counter Door

Here are some examples of the premises that should consider installing a fire-rated curtain, fire shutter or a fire rated door:

• Buildings
• Malls & shops (drugstores, clothe stores, fast food court, etc) 
• Factories/warehouses
• Sleeping accommodations such as hotels, hostels and cruise ships
• Residential care premises, including care homes and hospitals
• Community halls and places of worship
• Bars and/or clubs
• Restaurants
• Theatres
• Cinemas
• Educational premises such as school
• Sports centers

In Overhead Door Company of The Meadowlands & NYC we offer a wide array of fire rated rolling steel doors & shutters, as well as fire curtains. They meet the most demanding fire safety standards (all doors comply with NFPA-80 ), unusual opening sizes, and discerning aesthetic requirements. 

 Fire Curtains Systems 

ANNUAL INSPECTION AND TESTING

Facility managers are responsible for ensuring that annual inspection and testing for the fire-rated doors and fire-rated curtains to be performed, deficiencies corrected, follow-up reacceptance testing be conducted, and records maintained for review by the authority having jurisdiction, in accordance with NFPA.

Fire Rated Door in NYC

LEARN SOME MORE

If you want to be at your best, The National Fire Academy offers courses, catalogs and schedules all year round as well as the National Fire Protection Association. 

We hope you never ever find yourself in the situation where you need to use all the skills and information that you have complied because of a fire, but it is our responsibility to be prepared in case it happens.

If you would like to find out more information about our fire curtains, fire-rated doors or you would like to schedule either preventive maintenance or an annual inspection & testing, please contact us. It will be a pleasure to assist you.

Call at 973-471-4060 or email us at: info@dockndoor.com

24 HR Emergency 1-201-273-7605

We service Northern New Jersey (Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Essex, Morris, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer and Somerset county/counties), Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester, and Rockland.

Overhead Door Corporation Turns 99!

C.G. Johnson - Founder of Overhead Door Company™
Inventor of the overhead garage door & the garage door opener

As an official distributor, today we celebrate the 99th Anniversary of Overhead Door Company™!

Did you know that the overhead garage door was invented by our founder, C.G. Johnson, in the year of 1921?

Henry Ford introduced the very first inexpensive and reliable car in the early 1900’s. It was known as the Model T. From here, other car makes began to make affordable cars, which allowed more people to own cars.

In the past, people would keep their carriages and their horses in their carrier. These carriage houses were gradually replaced with garages as more and more people bought vehicles. At the early stages, garages had side panel doors that worked but not in the most convenient way as those doors needed twice as much space to open.

In 1921, C.G. Johnson invented and patented a sectional overhead door. This was the beginning of Overhead Door Corporation™.

Johnson drove to fairs and exhibits with a prototype door attached to his vehicle

To promote this new invention, Johnson drove to fairs and exhibits with a prototype door attached to his vehicle, the Model T. Johnson created a network of distributors with the help of clever marketing techniques, such as consumer coupons and bulletin boards in different communities. Five years later, Johnson gave the industry another useful piece of technology to help those who couldn't lift their doors manually: he invented the first electric garage door opener.

These two inventions laid the foundation for Overhead Door Company™, which has proven to be an industry leader. ​​His brand quickly​ gained a reputation for quality, service and integrity.

As an official distributor of Overhead Door Company™ we like to think that we still offer to our valuable customers high quality, extraordinary service and always maintaining our integrity.

Congratulations to our supplier for 99 years! We hope there are many more to come!

Overhead Door Company of The Meadowlands & NYC™

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A MAINTENANCE PLAN FOR ROLL-UP DOORS

Sometimes roll-up doors can fail unexpectedly, endangering our workers.

Under normal operation, roll-up doors operate smoothly, so smoothly that most workers may not realize the hazard that a failed door can present.

Are you and your workers aware that your commercial garage door or your industrial door can easily weight more than half of a ton? Take a moment to analyze the potential danger if one of your roll-up doors fail, allowing it to free-fall and hit one of your workers.

Consequence of not giving a proper maintenance to your commercial doors

Most commercial doors and industrial doors do not have an auto-reverse feature, such as the Commercial Operator Bottom Sensors. These sensors stops and reverses the door upon contact with an obstruction, such as a person or an object.

Here are some simple examples of what could go wrong if your door doesn’t receive the maintenance that is required:

• The drive sprocket could disengage from the shaft, allowing the door to free-fall closed.
• As the door ascends from the top of the frame, the drive chain could jump the sprocket, allowing the door to free-fall closed.
• As the door is open, the chain can break, allowing the door to free-fall closed. At the same time the chain can also fall on the floor presenting a 2nd hazard.
• Without the proper maintenance, sometimes the motor of your door can keep working even after the door has been fully open or fully closed.

It is important to schedule regular inspections and maintenance, as well as adequate funding to support your preventive maintenance plans, and workers' continual situational awareness.

Investigations made by the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (E.H.S.S.). revealed that most issues with the roll-up garage doors were caused because preventive maintenance had not been performed on the schedule recommended by the manufacturer due to lack of funding. Some other times it is simply as a result of the age and continuous use.

Because of their weight and design, roll-up doors require frequent evaluation and servicing to avoid malfunction and - by extension - possible injuries to you and the members of your staff.

RECOMMENDATIONS

These are some simple recommendations given by the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (E.H.S.S.) for the safe operation of roll-up doors are provided as examples.

1. Regularly scheduled a preventive maintenance (PM).

2. Have adequate funding to support the PM program.

3. Offer training to workers, so they are aware of the roll-up doors hazards.

• Teach them to not stand or walk under a moving door; wait until it has stopped moving.
• Whenever possible, use a "personnel door" instead of walking under a raised door.
• Raise doors to the fully open position, which allows the door to travel to its upper limits and allows the spring to counterbalance the door and hold it in position.
• Keep the door in full view and free of obstructions while operating.
• Maintain awareness when walking or using equipment under or near a door stopped in the "up" position.

Finally, it is very important to allow only trained door technicians to install, adjust or perform maintenance to your roll-up doors.

Only trained technicians should install, adjust or give maintenance to your doors

HOW OFTEN SHOULD PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE BE SCHEDULED?

The frequency will vary according to the climate and other conditions under which the door regularly operates. Some preventative maintenance may be required monthly, while other types of maintenance should be undertaken every three to six months. To determine the best preventative maintenance schedule for your overhead doors or loading dock equipment contact The Overhead Door Company of The Meadowlands & NYC for a consultation.

For more information, please give us a call at 973-471-4060 or email us at: info@dockndoor.com

24 HR Emergency 1-201-273-7605

We service Northern New Jersey (Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Essex, Morris, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer and Somerset county/counties), Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester and Rockland.

LOADING DOCK INC. / OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF THE MEADOWLANDS & NYC was awarded as the Subcontractor of the Year by the American Subcontractor Association.

Thank you to our customers, employees, suppliers, partners, mentors, friends, family & fellow NJSA members for supporting the growth of our organization. You believed in us!  Thank you!

General

This Technical Data Sheet provides facility managers with guidelines for evaluation of rolling fire doors designed and tested to provide the automatic closing fire protection indicated on the fire door label. The automatic closing of the door must be tested at the time the door is installed, and the door shall be inspected and tested not less than annually as required by NFPA 80. This requirement applies to all fire doors – even those that are not used and remain in the closed position. The doors must be checked regularly for conditions that may affect the operation of the door. DASMA recommends that the following procedures be observed:

Inspection:

• Inspect fire doors for damage to guides, curtain and endlocks, bottom bar, hood and operating mechanism.
• Refer to DASMA Technical Data Sheet #270 (“Recommended Rolling Door Maintenance Practice”)
• Refer to NFPA 80 (Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives)
• Ensure that the door’s operating mechanisms, fuse links and release chain/cable are not painted, coated with dust or grease, and/or covered with debris.
• Open and close the door to inspect for any indications of damaged parts.
• Remove flammable substances on each side of the firewall opening near the fire door.

Droptest:

• Have a trained door systems technician perform an inspection and drop test of all fire door automatic closing features.
• Establish a contract with the door service provider regarding the cost of the inspection and drop test. Fire door deficiencies identified during the pre-drop test inspection should be corrected before the drop test. The drop test contract should acknowledge the fact that components may fail during the drop test that are not the fault of the service provider and are not included in the cost of the drop test.
• Document the drop test with the attached DASMA Drop Test Form.
• When subjected to drop testing, the door must close completely and rest on the sill. NFPA 80 states that the average closing speed must not exceed 24 inches per second and must be at least 6 inches per second.
• The door must be drop tested twice – once to verify proper operation and full closure, and a second time to verify that the automatic closing device was properly reset.

DASMA ROLLING STEEL FIRE DOOR DROP TEST FORM

General

NFPA 80 and Model Codes require the inspection and testing of fire doors to demonstrate proper operation, full closure, and proper reset. Perform the visual inspection before the operational check, or before the drop tests of the fire door, in order to reduce the risk of failure during the drop tests. Use the form below to record the Visual, Operational, and Drop Test results. Check Pass or Fail in the boxes. See the Guidelines for additional information.

The drop tests, reset, repairs and/or maintenance should be performed by a trained door system technician with complete knowledge of this type of fire door and the manufacturer's instructions. Repair parts must be obtained from the original door manufacturer. After repairs are completed, the door must be tested to assure proper door operation and automatic closing capability. The fire door must be in the fully open position before the drop test. Reset the door following the drop test and test again.

GUIDELINES

VISUAL INSPECTION:

Conduct a visual inspection for anything that may cause a hazard during testing or affect proper operation or resetting.

Verify that:

1. Mounting and assembly bolts are not missing or loose.
2. Welds and weld locations comply with installation method for fire door assemblies welded to steel jambs per manufacturer’s installation instructions.
3. Fusible links are located per manufacturer's instructions.
4. Guide assemblies have the required fire expansion clearance per manufacturer's instructions.
5. Fusible links and sash chain/cable links are not painted or coated with dust or grease, cable is not kinked or pinched, chain is flexible and not twisted, and raceways are not obstructed.
6. Smoke detectors/release devices function properly.
7. Nothing that is not a part of the fire door assembly is attached to any part of the fire door assembly (suspended ceiling, light fixtures, ducting, conduits, framing and any other building materials).

Check for damaged or missing components:

1. Slats – bent; tears or holes; metal fatigue.
2. Endlocks – missing; broken; bent; loose
3. Bottom Bar – bent angles; loose bolts.
4. Guide Assembly – bent angles or channels; loose bolts; curtain entry misalignment.
5. Hood (and Flame Baffle when required) or Fascia – bent; rubbing curtain; holes; loose fasteners; metal fatigue; missing intermediate supports (when required).
6. Automatic Closing Mechanism – missing, broken parts; drop or release arms tied, blocked or wedged.
7. Operating Mechanism – worn, misaligned or poorly meshed gears; worn roller chains; misaligned or loose sprockets; loose bearings; broken parts; bent shafts.

OPERATIONAL CHECK

Open and close the door using normal operation. If you find the door is not properly balanced, or there is damage or missing parts that may create a hazard or prevent proper operation, have these conditions corrected before conducting a drop test.

DROPTEST

A drop test is required to confirm that the fire door will close automatically during a fire emergency. Use manufacturer's drop test instructions. Door must be fully open before drop test. The door must close fully so the bottom bar rests on the sill. The average closing speed must be between 6" and 24" per second. Test each automatic closing option for the fire door.

RESET THE DOOR

Reset the door per manufacturer's instructions. Open and close the door by normal operation. Drop test the door a second time, and reset again.

Ultimate acceptance of a fire door is the decision of the authority having jurisdiction, as defined in NFPA 80.

Credit: DASMA Technical Data Sheet #271

Call the reliable technicians of Overhead Door Company of The Meadowlands & NYC today for  your rolling steel fire door service, repair or maintenance.

For more information, please give us a call at 973-471-4060 or email us at: info@dockndoor.com

We service Northern New Jersey (Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Essex, Morris, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer and Somerset county/counties), Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester and Rockland.

At Overhead Door Co. of Meadowlands & NYC (Division of Loading Dock, Inc) we often receive requests for information on doors for special applications. One of the more common requests is for doors appropriate for the food industry. When considering doors and access systems for facilities serving the food and beverage manufacturing industry, consideration must be given to special features such as climate control and pest control. For interior doors some features that will most probably be on the list are:

• Compliance with food safety requirements: Look for a door that is easy to clean, perhaps with optional stainless steel structure.
• Reduction of contamination: Look for a door that offers rapid open/close cycle and tight seal keep out dust, dirt and pests.
• Conservation of energy: Look for a door that will assist in stabilizing temperatures with superior seal and rapid open/close cycle.
• Management of the cold chain: Select products that will allow the optimization of the production flow and control the cold chain.
• Minimization downtime: High performance doors often feature flexible material that will ‘breakaway’ if hit and can easily be reinserted in the tracking.
• Keeping people and equipment safe: Once again, the flexible curtain feature allows for a door without rigid elements which assists in preventing injuries and damages.

One manufacturer that offers a wide selection of appropriate products for this application is Rytec. This product line offers high speed, high performance doors specifically designed to meet the stringent requirements of the food processing environment. Rapid operation, automation, climate control, ease of maintenance, ease of cleaning – Rytec pays special attention to each of these areas of concern in the design of their high performance doors.

So, now we’ve got the interior access doors selected, but what about the exterior openings such as shipping and received areas? Overhead Door Company of Meadowlands & NYC offers products to cover all of these needs as well. The exterior is normally a bit less sensitive to regulation as shipping and receiving typically handles packaged product. Things to consider at the exterior include security, durability, climate control and rodent control. For loading dock, ramp or ground level doors we offer a broad range of products with the most popular being the Thermacore™ series by Overhead Door Corporation. This product line includes the 591, 592, 593 and 599 series. The construction is steel skinned polyurethane available in a variety of thicknesses to offer “R” and “U” values that will meet your specific needs. With full weather seal packages and upgraded rodent control bottom seals these doors offer a perfect solution.

Coiling door solutions are also available for these exterior applications but typically offer less climate and rodent control. The 625, 627 and 625s series from Overhead Door Corporation would be good examples of rolling or coiling door solutions.

In the case of the loading dock area dock leveler products may be required. While there are many options, in the case of food handling we most often recommend the vertical storing type such as the VSH Vertical Storing Leveler by W. B. McGuire. These levelers allow the dock door to close and seal completely rather than on top of the leveler leaving the customary gaps at the side of the leveler. This feature provides superior climate control and rodent control.

To complete the package we offer a full line of dock seal products, dock shelter products, awnings and truck restraints.

To learn more, contact one of our product specialists . We are always here to assist with product design and selection for projects in New Jersey and New York.

On November 18, the NJ Subcontractor Association recognized Loading Dock Inc/Overhead Door Company with the 2017 EXCELLENCE IN SAFETY AWARD for achieving the highest levels of safety by providing a safe environment for its employees and serving as a role model for the construction industry.
       

#Proud of my Mom & Dad for this award!
And #Proud of all our employees for being the BEST in the Metro NJ/NY region!

See our photos below from the 45th Annual Awards Gala that was attended by over 200 professionals in the construction industry.