Dock Seals & Shelters
Dock Seal
Dock seals are designed to create a tight, secure seal between a building’s loading dock and the trailer of a delivery vehicle. Their primary purpose is to prevent the infiltration of outdoor elements such as rain, wind, dust, and pests into the facility during loading and unloading operations. By providing a weather-tight barrier, dock seals help maintain interior temperature control, improve energy efficiency, and protect goods from contamination or damage. Additionally, they enhance workplace safety by reducing slippery conditions caused by water or debris at the dock area. Overall, dock seals contribute to operational efficiency, product protection, and cost savings in loading dock environments.
Advantages:
Lower cost than shelters.
Provides excellent protection against weather, dust, and energy loss.
Simple design, fewer moving parts.
Limitations:
Trailer must back in squarely for a good seal.
Can wear faster due to direct contact with trailers.
Not ideal for docks that service many different trailer sizes.
Dock Shelter
A Dock Shelter is a protective structure installed at loading docks to create a tight seal between a building and a truck or trailer during loading and unloading operations. It typically consists of a frame covered with flexible, compressible fabric or foam panels that surround the top and sides of the truck as it backs into the dock, providing weather protection and reducing energy loss.
Advantages:
Works with a wider range of trailers.
Less wear from trailer impact compared to seals.
Allows better access into the full width/height of the trailer.
Limitations:
Higher cost than seals.
Doesn’t create as tight of a seal as foam pads — slightly more air exchange.
Rain Deflector Header
A rain deflector header on a dock shelter is an added component that sits at the top (header) of the shelter, usually above the truck opening, designed to divert rainwater away from the loading dock area when a trailer is backed in.
Here’s how it works:
It’s typically made of a rigid or flexible canopy-like structure with a sloped or wedge-shaped design.
When water runs off the roof of a trailer, instead of dripping down into the dock opening where workers, forklifts, and cargo are exposed, the rain deflector channels it to the sides of the dock shelter.
This keeps the dock area drier, helps prevent slips, protects product from water damage, and makes loading/unloading safer and more efficient.