- Location
- Leatherhead, Surrey
- Main postcode district
- KT22
- Nearby (straight line)
- Epsom (4 miles), Dorking (4 miles) and Esher (5 miles)
- Visit pricing
- Agreed in writing before we attend
Loading bay servicing covers planned preventive maintenance of dock equipment at agreed intervals. An engineer checks, adjusts and lubricates doors, levellers, shelters, seals, restraints, traffic lights and lift tables, tests safety devices and records defects in a written report. Servicing supports, but is separate from, insurer inspections and the LOLER thorough examinations that some equipment needs.
What should sites in Leatherhead consider?
When you take on a unit in Leatherhead with no maintenance history, a baseline service report gives you a clear starting point for future planning. Property managers looking after several units around Leatherhead can use one servicing schedule and reporting format across every building they manage.
Distribution centres in Leatherhead running high trailer volumes commonly need twice-yearly servicing to keep springs, hydraulics and seals ahead of wear.
We do not turn up and then name a price. Every repair or service visit in Leatherhead is agreed in writing first, including what the charge covers. Sending photos of the damage, error codes or leaks helps us diagnose the problem before travelling and bring the likely parts. Any additional work found on the day is quoted for your approval before it starts. You then get a written report for your records.
What inspections does the law require for loading bay equipment?
Loading bay equipment is work equipment under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), so it must be maintained in a safe condition and inspected where deterioration could lead to danger. In Northern Ireland the equivalent is PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999.
- Insurer inspections: engineering insurers commonly inspect dock levellers under PUWER at 12-month intervals. This is separate from servicing.
- Lift tables: scissor lift tables fall under LOLER 1998, or LOLER (Northern Ireland) 1999, with thorough examination at least every 12 months, every 6 months if they lift people, or to a written examination scheme.
- Levellers and LOLER: most levellers are treated under PUWER, but one designed or used to lift people may fall under LOLER. This depends on the equipment and how it is used; your insurer or competent person will confirm.
- Doors: regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, and the Northern Ireland 1993 equivalent, require fall-back and anti-trap protection, so these devices are tested at every service.
Our guide to dock leveller inspections under PUWER and LOLER explains what applies.
How often should a loading bay be serviced?
Busy loading docks are commonly serviced twice a year, while lightly used bays may only need one visit a year. The right frequency depends on how hard the equipment works and what your risk assessment, the manufacturer's instructions and your insurer expect.
- Twice a year: common for distribution and logistics docks handling trailers through the day.
- Once a year: may suit occasional-use bays, such as a single goods-in door at a manufacturing site.
- More often: worth considering for docks running several shifts, very high door cycle counts, or harsh conditions such as frozen stores.
Insurer inspections and LOLER thorough examinations run on their own schedules. Many sites time a service shortly before each inspection so routine defects are dealt with first.
Our guide to loading bay maintenance sets out what a service covers and how to plan the frequency.
The visit price is agreed before anyone attends. Parts and any extra work are quoted before they are fitted.
Bay checks on a repair or service visit
- Door panels, side seals and bottom rubbers
- Manual override and emergency operation on powered doors
- Hydraulic oil level, hoses and cylinders for leaks
- Pit frame welds, platform cracks and structural damage
- Dock bumpers for missing rubber or loose fixings
- Previous service and inspection records, where available
Options to discuss
Twice-yearly service
Two visits a year, common for busy docks, so wear on springs, hydraulics and shelter curtains is caught before it causes a breakdown at a busy time.
Annual service
One planned visit a year, suited to lightly used bays, covering checks, adjustment, lubrication, safety device testing and a written condition report for each item.
Regulations and approvals in England
Sites in Leatherhead 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 before any work starts and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about loading bay servicing in Leatherhead
What happens if the engineer finds the equipment unsafe?
If equipment is found to be unsafe, the engineer will tell you straight away and recommend that it is isolated and taken out of use until it is repaired. That is recorded in the written report. We then quote the repair so you can decide how to proceed. Keeping an unsafe door or leveller in service puts people at risk, so we will always raise it.
What is the difference between servicing and a statutory inspection?
Servicing keeps equipment working: cleaning, adjusting, lubricating and replacing worn parts. A statutory inspection or thorough examination is a separate check by a competent person, often arranged through your engineering insurer. Dock levellers are commonly inspected under PUWER at 12-month intervals, and lift tables may need LOLER thorough examination, depending on the equipment and how it is used. Your insurer or competent person will confirm what applies.
Do you provide a written report after each visit?
Yes. After every repair or service visit to a site in Leatherhead, you receive a written report setting out what was checked, what was found, what work was carried out and anything that still needs attention, with a quote for further work where needed. The report is useful for your maintenance records and for discussions with your insurer or inspector.
Can servicing be carried out outside operating hours?
Yes, servicing can be arranged for evenings or weekends where daytime access is difficult. Out-of-hours visits cost more, and that price is agreed in writing before the visit. Many sites prefer quieter periods so bays can be released without affecting trailer arrivals.
How often should dock levellers be serviced?
Dock levellers on busy docks are commonly serviced twice a year, while lightly used levellers may only need an annual service. The right interval depends on usage, the manufacturer's instructions and your risk assessment. Insurer inspections and any LOLER examinations run on their own schedules.
Loading bay servicing near Leatherhead
Looking beyond Leatherhead? Our pages for Epsom (4 miles), Dorking (4 miles) and Esher (5 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Leatherhead
Full guide to loading bay servicing · Everything we do in Leatherhead
Send a few photos of the dock and a short description of the problem, and we will come back to you about your Leatherhead site.