Marina Dock Age, January/February 2004

The Dock Walk: Shoring Up Accountability
by Gene Spinazola, P.E

Whether it’s called a dock walk or “sweep,” dockage inventory, or a dock maintenance report, it seems that every marina has a system that requires an employee to physically walk the docks to gather important, operational information. What I found interesting was the varied levels of sophistication of this practice from one marina to another.

One common thread that ties all marinas together is slip inventory. That is, an accounting of rented space, or slips open for rent. There is universal interest in maximizing the percent of occupancy and optimizing the available space.  

Who walks the docks at your marina? Is it a new employee, a veteran, or nighttime security person? The answer may depend on your mission. What information do you want to gather, and what are you going to do after you obtain it? If you don’t do anything with the information, having someone walk the dock is just “busy work,” sending a negative message to your employees.

A “dock walk” can be split into several different areas and levels of responsibility. Accountability, security, safety, maintenance and repair, and housekeeping are a few areas to consider and each has a different focus. The employee, who gathers the accountability information and walks the docks counting empty slips, may not be the same person you want gathering maintenance and repair information. As an example, just because the employee has been on your staff for the past six months, it doesn’t mean he or she will recognize a liability item.

If you ask employees to walk the docks, you’ll need to provide them with appropriate guidance so they know exactly what you want them to find. Develop a written list of items that should be checked regularly. Let’s assume you have a nighttime security patrol at your marina. As they walk the docks making their security rounds, you may also want them to be looking at the following items:

• Fire extinguishers: Make sure they are all stationed, and that the pressure gauges are in the green bands. The safety seals should not be broken, and there must be no mud wasps in the nozzles. Any deficiencies should be noted in your shift report.

• Lighting: Ensure that all nighttime automatic walkway lights are working properly. Note any outages.

• “Trip-and-Fall” hazards: Mark any of these in your shift report.   Continue »