People expect their food to be treated in the most sanitary way possible: cooking meat to the proper temperature, washing fruits and vegetables, sanitizing pots and dishes, keeping pests at bay and making sure prep areas are clean. What we don’t always think about, however, is the condition of the loading docks and warehouses that our food passes over and through each day.
USDA Says No to Possible Contaminants
Food storage and processing facilities require strict adherence to USDA guidelines and other regulations when it comes to the conditions on their loading docks. Many dock areas require daily wash-downs, which can become difficult if the dock contains pit-style levelers. The more obstructions there are on a dock floor, the more difficult it is to effectively sanitize an area. More and more, food storage and processing facilities are turning to loading dock equipment companies to come up with solutions for keeping docks safe and sanitary.
One Solution Is a Vertical Storing Dock Leveler
These dock levelers are completely contained within the facility, and can be installed on a continuous shelf, making it easier to wash the loading dock than traditional dock levelers mounted in a concrete pit. Vertical leveler applications improve facilities’ abilities to adhere to the strict standards set by regulatory agencies as well as the expectations of their customers.
Vertical Cuts Off Energy Loss
As mentioned, the vertical leveler is completely contained inside the facility. What that translates into is that loss of energy due to openings between the leveler and the dock door is significantly reduced. With standard pit levelers, air can escape through the gaps between the leveler and the concrete pit, as well as between the leveler and the door, creating inconsistent temperatures that lends to an increased risk of spoilage with perishables. The vertical leveler enables a quality dock door to close flush to the warehouse floor reducing the potential for dirt, debris or pathogen carrying pests to enter the facility.
So, when considering how to maintain sanitation standards in your facility – go vertical! Vertical Storing Levelers are the best solution for addressing sanitation, safety, energy-savings and not to mention, the superior efficiency provided by this specialty hydraulic dock leveler. It’s a beast of a leveler and works incredibly well on climate-controlled docks.