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Dock securing under powered industrial truck rules

Summary A dock equipment company asked about truck and trailer restraint during loading. OSHA said the powered industrial truck rule covered several truck types, and securing a trailer to the dock could be used instead of chocks or blocks under the cited provisions.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1981-09-03
Date issued
September 3, 1981
Status
Active
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Powered Industrial Trucks
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

September 3, 1981

Mr. John J. O'Brien
Regional Manager
Johnson Equipment Company
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. O'Brien:

This is in response to your letter of August 14, 1981, concerning OSHA Instruction STD 1-11.7.

29 CFR 1910.178 is applicable to all powered industrial trucks, which includes fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. This means that trucks and trailers may be secured to the dock in lieu of chocks or blocks during loading or unloading operations when using powered industrial trucks, motorized hand trucks, etc., as required in 29 CFR 1910.178[(k)(1) and 1910.178(m)(7)].

If I may be of further assistance, please contact me.

Sincerely

John K. Barto Chief,
Division of Occupational Safety Programming

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