Back in 2017, we discussed the hazards associated with dock levelers and working under the dock plate. These are indeed permit-required confined spaces, albeit ones that can be RECLASSIFIED using basic energy control methods (i.e., Lockout). In that 2017 article, I shared a video from a dock leveler manufacturer on how to isolate the dock plate BEFORE entering the area under it.
On March 27, 2024, @ 11:00 a.m. an employee, 26, was performing maintenance on a Power Ramp Centra Air Dock Leveler. The employee reached into and underneath the dock plate/ramp while it was in the upright position.
There is a maintenance prop arm that should be placed in the upright position to sustain the weight of the dock plate/ramp.
The dock plate/ramp collapsed. The employee was pinned and caught between the dock plate/ramp and the base. A passerby noticed something odd and went into the warehouse area where the controls are located to raise the dock plate/ramp. EMS was summoned immediately. The employee sustained a punctured lung, abdominal and back pain, swelling to the face, and possible internal bleeding. The employee died.