Shipping and receiving platforms.

TM 38-400/NAVSUP PUB 572/AFMAN 23-210 MCO 4450.14/DLAM 4145.12

GREATER FLOOR LOAD LIMITS

(1) The normal, general-purpose, single-story

BETTER TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES"

warehouses have one long platform stretching the entire

-- "The

MULTISTORY

BUILDING

has

TWO

length of the warehouse, used for shipping and receiving

ADVANTAGES:

by rail. On the opposite side, materials are received or

COVERS LESS GROUND AREA

shipped by motor truck on small docks at each section,

CAN BE LOCATED IN A METROPOLITAN

or on one or more large docks spaced at intervals along

AREA."

the ware house. The width of these platforms is a very

important factor because it determines the type of

(1) In a majority of our storage installations,

materials handling operation that can be applied. For

particularly in the newer ones, we find single-story

example: if the platform is too narrow, the use of the

buildings constructed along similar lines.

tractor-trailer train system is difficult or the platform may

(2) Storage installations vary in size from one

become dangerously congested during receiving and

or two to any number of these single-story buildings.

shipping operations in the same vicinity. The entire

Each building is usually divided into several sections.

width of platforms should be covered to protect the

There is no typical multistory warehouse.

material from the weather.

d. Size of building.

(2) In multistory buildings, the platforms are

-- '"What primary facts must we know in order to

located in as many different locations as there are

determine our storage space in each warehouse?

buildings. In some of the buildings, however, it is

possible to use separate platforms for receiving and

LENGTH

shipping in respect to both rail and truck facilities. Such

WIDTH

a condition helps to ease the bottle necks caused by

HEIGHT

elevators and permits a more continuous flow of

material in the materials handling operation. Care

-- "Remember, in all buildings we must think in TERMS

should be taken to keep the plat forms, which occupy a

OF CUBAGE."

large portion of the ground floor, clear of stored

(1) To know how much storage space is avail

material.

able, we must know the size of our warehouse and the

(3) The height of the platforms, whether in

size of each section; and in the multistory buildings, the

singlestory or in multistory buildings, is an important

size of each floor.

factor. Platforms either too high or too low will cause

(2) We must consider size in terms of length,

serious handicaps in our materials handling operations

width, and height-- in other words-- in terms of CUBIC

as well as create a serious accident hazard.

FEET. We can use our square feet to fullest capacity

difference of 6 inches between the height of the platform

and at the same time waste a great part of our full

and the floors of cars or trucks is maximum if an

storage capacity by not stacking high enough. WE

efficient operation is to be accomplished. Conditions

MUST CONSERVE OUR VALU ABLE STORAGE

where excessive difference in height exists should be

SPACE.

corrected by either lowering or raising the track bed, the

road surface, or through the use of a compensating

bridge plate. The cost of such a change should pay for

e. Shipping and receiving platforms.

itself in speedier and more economical operations.

-- "There are THREE THINGS we must consider about

our PLATFORMS or DOCKS:

f. Doorways and entrances.

LOCATION

-- "It is evident that we must know the LOCATION,

SIZE

NUMBER, and SIZE of our DOORWAYS or

HEIGHT (in relation to cars and t rucks)."

ENTRANCES."

-- "To intelligently plan location of materials, we should

-- "Care must be taken that we make efficient use of

also have some general appreciation of what

these openings."

percentage of our material is SHIPPED BY RAIL and

(1) There should be a sufficient number of

what percentage BY MOTOR TRUCK." -- "ASK the

doorways leading to platforms and between sections of

group if they know percentages as applied to their own

a warehouse to handle the movement of materials. This

warehouse or section. If they are guessing, ask them to

is particularly true of single-story buildings.

check on the information."

(2) In most of our typical single-story

warehouses, there are at least two, and sometimes

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