When grocery homeshopping company Tesco needed a method to load and unload its fleet of new high capacity doubledeck trailers, used to transfer goods between distribution depots, the solution came from Easilift Loading Systems. Easilift supplies everything necessary for safe, efficient, and profitable operation of loading bays, including dock levelers, shelters, seals, and pods; doors and high speed doors; and vehicle restraints and lifting platforms; plus accessories and safety aids. Working with a major UK lift supplier, the company developed a modular loading system incorporating a scissor lift housed in a pod and designed to integrate with Tesco fixed floor doubledeck trailers.
The free-standing pods are installed on the outside of the existing loading bays, flush to the external wall of the distribution depot, minimizing disruption and avoiding the loss of internal floor area. The fabricated side and roof frames are clad with insulated wall panels to create a sealed working environment.
Easilift electrically operated sectional overhead Powerdoors are fitted to the front and rear of each pod. Made to measure, Easilift industrial doors can be adapted to suit almost every available space, incorporating optional vision panels or employee pass doors. The loading bay equipment specialist also supplied doubledeck rubber bumpers, an inflatable dock shelter, traffic lights, two sets of dock lights, and fluorescent pod lights with each installation.
Initially, Tesco required a scissor lift with a 6,000 kg capacity, capable of carrying 11 roll cages and an operator safely between vehicle decks and the loading dock, 1,250 mm above floor level. The platform of the scissor lift sourced by Easilift was 4,000 mm long x 2,650 mm wide.
To address Tesco''s requirement for increased capacity and throughput capability, an upgraded lift has subsequently been developed with a 25,000 kg capacity that can carry 36 roll cages. This larger version is 8,750 mm long x 4,050 mm wide with a closed height of 800 mm.
Addressing Safety Concerns
Operator safety is of paramount concern to Tesco. Vertically hinged personnel access barriers, fitted at the vehicle end of the scissor lift platform, open outward to provide a safety handrail on each side of the bridge plate to the vehicle. Easilift also fitted seal pads close to the side of the bridge to eliminate any gaps, preventing falls from either side of the bridge.
The gates at the opposite end of the lift are fitted with electro and mechanical locks so they cannot be opened unless at the preset floor level. The lifts also have four-sided safety screens to enclose the mechanism when it''s raised, and the height of the handrails on the larger models have been extended to 2 m to prevent product falling from the lift.
The new, larger scissor lift incorporates an operator walkway along one side of the platform. This allows the operator to move safely from one end of the lift to the other while separated from the load. Controls are fitted at either end of the lift so that the operator can stand in the safest position to suit the direction of travel.
A feature of the scissor lift is its ability to automatically position within 3 mm of the preset dock height while loading and unloading, which ensures that cages can be safely rolled between the platform and the warehouse floor.
"The Easilift pod system provides a safe and efficient means of loading roll cages onto our growing fleet of doubledeck trailers, and removes the need for vehicle mounted lifts," says Nigel Drake, distribution development project manager at Tesco.
"Following the initial successful implementation of the system at a number of our depots, we have worked with Easilift to develop the design of the larger 36-cage lift, which is now incorporated into the design of new depots in addition to the continuing retrofit program."