- Location
- Accrington, Lancashire
- Main postcode district
- BB5
- Nearby (straight line)
- Haslingden (4 miles), Rawtenstall (5 miles) and Blackburn (5 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
Dock bumpers are rubber or rubber-and-steel buffers fixed to the face of a loading dock, either side of the leveller, to absorb the impact of reversing vehicles. They hold the trailer a set distance from the building, protect the dock wall, leveller and door, and help a dock seal or shelter compress evenly. Most bays use two bumpers, replaced as they wear.
Is this right for your site in Accrington?
When a landlord in Accrington re-lets a unit, replacing tired bumpers is a modest cost that protects the leveller and dock wall for the incoming tenant. Older industrial units around Accrington sometimes still have their original bumpers, or none at all, leaving the dock wall and leveller lip to absorb every reversing impact.
For new-build warehouses in Accrington, bumpers are best specified alongside the leveller and seal so that projection and seal compression are correct before the first trailer arrives.
Keeping the dock running is usually the first concern, so we plan around it. After a free survey of your Accrington site and a written quote at a fixed price, we agree when each bay can be released and whether any work should happen out of hours. Specialist installation engineers working under our management then fit the equipment, and we test it and hand over the documentation before the bay goes back into use.
Do dock bumpers need inspecting under PUWER?
Dock bumpers should be checked whenever the loading bay is serviced, because they protect equipment that the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) apply to. In Northern Ireland the equivalent is PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999.
PUWER requires work equipment, including dock levellers, loading bay doors and shelters, to be suitable, maintained in a safe condition and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. A bumper worn down to its backing lets trailers strike the leveller lip and front plate, which can crack welds, bend hinges and leave a leveller that is no longer safe to drive across.
Engineering insurers commonly inspect dock levellers under PUWER at 12-month intervals. Replacing a worn bumper usually costs far less than repairing the leveller it should have protected.
The health and safety regulator is HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland. Including bumpers in planned maintenance checks shows the dock is being looked after.
Where should dock bumpers be positioned on the dock face?
Dock bumpers are normally fixed either side of the leveller, at a height that catches the rear of the trailer before anything else touches the building.
- Height: typical UK dock height is around 1,200 mm, but trailer bed heights vary from roughly 900 to 1,600 mm, so bumpers must cover the range of vehicles you receive.
- Projection: bumpers commonly stand about 100 mm proud of the dock face. Too little and trailers hit the wall; too much and a swing lip of about 400 to 500 mm may not reach far enough on to the trailer bed.
- Spacing: bumpers should line up with the trailer chassis and sit clear of the leveller lip.
- Seals and shelters: projection controls how far a dock seal compresses, so it is set with the seal depth in mind.
Pairing bumpers with steel wheel guides helps drivers reverse square, so both bumpers take an equal share of each impact.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- How often each door cycles during a typical shift
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Wall and steel structure for door, shelter and bumper fixings
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
Options to discuss
Replacement faces and fixings
New face plates, rubber inserts and anchors for existing bumpers where the body and backing are still sound, keeping replacement costs down on worn bays.
Vertical sliding bumpers
A face that rides up and down with the trailer instead of rubbing against it, reducing wear on very high-throughput docks.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Accrington. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about dock bumpers in Accrington
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Accrington site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Is VAT included in your guide prices for dock bumpers?
No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Lancashire as everywhere else: for dock bumpers, it is £120 to £480 per bumper, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Accrington?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
Are dock bumpers included in a complete bay package?
Yes. When we supply a complete loading bay, dock bumpers are specified alongside the leveller, door and shelter or seal so that projection, height and seal compression all work together. Bumpers can also be ordered with wheel guides and dock lights as part of a smaller safety upgrade on an existing bay.
Can you replace just the face of a dock bumper?
Yes, on bumpers designed with replaceable faces. Steel-faced and some moulded designs let the worn face plate or rubber insert be changed while the backing stays bolted to the dock. Older laminated bumpers usually have to be replaced as a complete unit, which is still a modest cost compared with repairing impact damage to a leveller.
Dock bumpers near Accrington
Businesses outside Accrington may find their nearest town in this list: Haslingden (4 miles), Rawtenstall (5 miles) and Blackburn (5 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Accrington
Full guide to dock bumpers · Everything we do in Accrington
Get in touch about loading bay doors and dock equipment in Accrington: call, email or use the quote tool.