- Location
- Tyldesley, Greater Manchester
- Main postcode district
- M29
- Nearby (straight line)
- Leigh (2 miles), Walkden (3 miles) and Bolton (5 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
An edge-of-dock leveller is a compact leveller mounted on the front face or top edge of a loading dock, with no pit needed. A short hinged plate and lip bridge the gap between dock and trailer, but it can only cover a small height difference above and below dock level, so it suits sites where trailer bed heights are consistent.
Is this right for your site in Tyldesley?
On older buildings in Tyldesley where drains or services run close to the dock, avoiding a pit can make an edge-of-dock leveller the sensible route. If trailer heights at a site in Tyldesley vary widely, our survey will tell you plainly whether an edge-of-dock leveller can cope or a pit leveller is needed.
Wholesalers and trade suppliers in Tyldesley adding a second loading position can often do so economically with an edge-of-dock unit.
It starts with a free site survey in Tyldesley, where we measure the openings, check the dock and talk through how the bay is used. You then receive a fixed written quote. Once you accept, we manage the job: specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, planned around your deliveries, and out-of-hours working can be arranged. At handover we test everything with you and leave the documentation.
Do edge-of-dock levellers need the same inspections as pit levellers?
Yes, an edge-of-dock leveller is work equipment just like a pit leveller, so it must be kept in a safe condition and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. Its small size does not exempt it.
- Great Britain: PUWER 1998 applies, with HSE as the regulator.
- Northern Ireland: PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999 applies, with HSENI as the regulator.
- Insurer inspections: engineering insurers commonly inspect dock levellers under PUWER at 12-month intervals, so ask your insurer to confirm edge-of-dock units are on the schedule.
- Standard: the dock leveller safety standard is BS EN 1398:2009, which is current and under review.
- Trapping points: HSE guidance notes that guards or skirting may be needed on dock levellers where something could be caught, so hinge areas and plate edges are checked.
Mechanical units rely on springs and hinges that wear, so an inspection should cover these as carefully as the hydraulics on a powered unit.
How much does an edge-of-dock leveller cost?
An edge-of-dock leveller typically costs £1,800 to £4,400 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit. That is considerably less than a pit leveller, because there is no pit to form or maintain and the unit itself is smaller.
The price depends on:
- Operation: mechanical units with a lever and spring assistance cost less than hydraulic push-button units.
- Width and capacity: wider plates and higher ratings for heavier forklifts.
- Fixing method: bolting to sound concrete, welding to an existing steel edge, or fitting a new edge angle first.
- Dock face condition: spalled or damaged concrete may need repair before fixing.
- Bumpers: often replaced or repositioned at the same time.
- Power: hydraulic units need a supply at the bay.
Concrete repairs or new edge steel are priced as separate items after survey, so you can see exactly what the leveller costs on its own. The written quote is the fixed price.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
Options to discuss
New edge steel and bumpers
A replacement steel edge angle and correctly positioned bumpers to give a sound fixing and protect the leveller from trailer impact.
Wider or heavy-duty plate
A wider plate or higher rating for larger forklifts, heavy loads or pallet trucks with a wide wheel track, specified after we look at your equipment.
Planning, building control and safety law in England
Sites in Tyldesley fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about edge-of-dock levellers in Tyldesley
Do you cover Tyldesley for edge-of-dock levellers?
Yes. We take on edge-of-dock levellers for businesses in Tyldesley and across Greater Manchester. We survey the site, provide a fixed written quote and manage the installation, with specialist installation engineers working under our management. Visits are arranged in advance at a time that suits your operation, and the same single contact stays with the job through to handover.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Tyldesley?
It depends on which UK nation the site is in. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland uses building warrants and Northern Ireland uses building control approval from the council. Workplace safety is regulated by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland, and energy rules differ between nations. For your site in Tyldesley, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
How long does installation take at a site in Tyldesley?
It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.
Can edge-of-dock levellers be used with vans?
Usually not. Edge-of-dock levellers are designed for trailers whose beds sit close to dock height, and many vans sit well below a typical dock, beyond the leveller's range. A lift table or a ground-level door is normally the better way to handle vans.
Can an edge-of-dock leveller be fitted to any dock?
Most docks can take one if the dock face or edge steel is sound enough to fix to. Damaged concrete or worn edge angles may need repair first. The more important question is whether your trailer heights fall within the leveller's small working range, which we check at survey.
Edge-of-dock levellers near Tyldesley
Sites close to Tyldesley get the same service, including those in Leigh (2 miles), Walkden (3 miles) and Bolton (5 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Tyldesley
Full guide to edge-of-dock levellers · Everything we do in Tyldesley
If a loading bay in Tyldesley needs attention, call us or send photos and details online.