Working Together to Improve Dock Safety

Sharing best practices between divisions helps us work together toward continuous improvement.

The Safety team meets each Thursday to discuss safety topics and exchange best practices. All divisions are represented in the meetings. It’s common for the discussions to include advice from those in the group whose divisions have experience with the same topic. We know that the Safety team members are always looking out for the safety of others, and here’s a great example of how employees outside of the Safety team can, too!

After Mike Harris, Corporate IT System Administrator Lead, read the Dock Safety Poka Yoke from the Buford, GA Division in the October Safety Report, he shared his own dock safety expertise, learned during his time in the military:


  • Use a double-chock system that secures the wheel on both sides to prevent movement in either direction
  • Use wood chocks, long enough to secure both wheels on the axle, painted yellow for better visibility and connected with rope to make it easier to remove both at the same time, drag away and store
  • Paint yellow squares on the ramp to indicate where to stage chocks to use for the next vehicle for the dock/parking space
  • When the chocks are tied together, the rope can be used to easily hang the chocks on a bracket out of the way until they’re needed again
  • One additional safety procedure – when the vehicle is ready to leave, only remove the forward chock so the vehicle doesn’t roll backward into the dock

Visit olysteel.com to learn more and to find out ways you can help respect the environment and protect our planet’s resources.

And, consider: What can you do to have a positive impact on our environment at Olympic Steel and at home?


Safety First. Always. And, it starts with me.

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