Dockboards and dockplates bridge the gap between the loading dock and the vehicle bed, so trucks, pallet trucks and roll cages can pass straight into the trailer. Both are stand-alone products — no installation, no disruption to the existing dock — which makes them the quickest way to make a dock-to-vehicle transfer safe and efficient. All units here are Thorworld high-tensile aluminium, designed and manufactured in the UK at Thorworld's Chesterfield factory.
Dockboard or dockplate?
Dockboards are the heavy-duty option, built for loading and unloading by forklift truck. Steel safety side curbs (painted red) keep wheels on the plate, capacities run from 2,730 kg up to 4,550 kg, and widths from 1,370 mm to 1,830 mm cover standard trailer openings. A pair of locking legs locates between vehicle and dock to stop the board shifting in use. Fork truck lifting handles (FTH-1) are recommended for moving any dockboard.
Dockplates are the lighter-duty version for pallet trucks, roll cages and pedestrian access, with capacities from 770 kg to 2,040 kg depending on model and span. Loop-type handles make repositioning straightforward — though plates over 40 kg should be moved with lifting equipment or the optional castored side curbs (SCC-2) rather than carried.
Built to the standard
Every board and plate has a built-in treadplate anti-slip finish and is crowned and bevelled for smooth transitions. The bend point sits 230 mm in from the end of the plate, in line with BS EN 1398:2009, which calls for a minimum 100 mm engagement onto the vehicle bed. Where the gap between vehicle and dock is unusually large (150 mm+), an additional set of fixed locking legs (FSL-1) is available. Each model is rated for a maximum recommended height difference between dock and vehicle — check the specification tables and pick the model that matches your capacity, width and height-difference needs, not just price.
No dock? No problem
Loading at ground level instead? See our container access ramps. And to finish the bay properly, add wheel chocks, dock bumpers and dock lights — the full range lives in loading bay and dock equipment, and our loading bay safety guide explains what each item is for. Not sure which plate you need? Our dockboards vs dockplates buying guide walks through capacity, height difference, width and the BS EN 1398 engagement rule.
