Rubber Bumper Loading Dock
Trucks often load and unload goods at a loading dock, which is an elevated entryway that lines up with the floor of the truck's bed. When a truck backs up to the dock, it is likely that hard contact will be made between the truck and the dock itself, potentially leading to dock damage as well as truck damage. To prevent such contact and subsequent damage, a dock bumper is installed at the bottom lip of the loading dock. This dock bumper is usually made of rubber mounted to a metal frame to absorb the shock of contact between the truck and dock.
The specific design of the rubber dock bumper can vary, though in many cases, individual slats of rubber are mounted side by side to create a solid absorption structure. The rubber slats are compressed together in a metal frame to ensure they do not loosen or bend, and the metal frame is mounted to the concrete of the loading dock using lag bolts or other heavy securing devices. The dock bumper usually runs the entire length of the loading dock, and it may even extend partially up the sides of the dock opening as well, depending on the orientation of the dock in relation to the truck.
