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TRUCK GANGWAYS & CAGES
Truck Gangways & Self-Leveling Folding Stairs for Safer Tanker Access
Your loading platform and truck gangway system could be dispatching millions of dollars of raw products every day. Effective, uninterrupted operation is critical to your business — but without the right fall protection, it's also a warren of safety hazards.
Nowhere is that risk more real than when operators are loading and unloading tanker trucks at constantly varying heights — one job requires climbing to reach the hatch, the next requires a steep descent. Without the right truck gangway, every shift is a fall hazard waiting to happen.
Our Folding Self-Leveling Truck Gangways eliminate that risk. By automatically adjusting to any vehicle height, they turn access challenges into smooth, safe throughput — keeping your loading line moving profitably and your operators protected.
Gangway Safety Cage
Safety cages are designed to prevent workers from accidentally falling off the gangway, reducing the risk of injuries and enhancing workplace safety.
Spring Adjustment
Spring tension adjustments made easy with common tools.
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Self-Leveling Design
Carbis truck gangways feature a self-leveling stair design that automatically adjusts to the height of whatever vehicle pulls into the loading bay. Whether you’re dealing with a liquid tanker, ISO containers, a hooper truck, or a tall bulk liquid trailer, the gangway articulates to meet it—no time-consuming re-spotting or compromised footing. The stairs remain level and secure at every height, so your operators step onto a safe, stable surface every single time. It’s a simple mechanism with a significant impact on both safety and throughput.
Safety Cage Integration
Carbis truck gangways are available with an integrated safety cage that provides continuous fall protection from the moment they step off the platform to when they reach the vehicle. The cage moves with the gangway, staying in position regardless of vehicle height, so there’s no gap in protection at the critical point of access. This design meets OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 fall protection requirements for elevated walking-working surfaces giving your safety team the compliance documentation they need and your operators the confidence to work without hesitation.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Available Widths | Custom widths to meet your specifications |
| Height Range | Self-leveling design adjusts to varying tank truck and ISO container heights — no vehicle re-spotting required |
| Load Capacity | Engineered to rated load capacity; contact us for project-specific load requirements |
| Primary Materials | A variety of metals – such as aluminum, steel or stainless steel – to meet your site’s environmental requirements. |
| Safety Cage Options | 4-rail and custom configurations — see Truck Cages |
| Compliance | Designed to meet OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 fall protection requirements OSHA |
| Finish Options | Mill, primed, galvanized...we'll to meet your requirements |
| Mounting | Fixed platform-mounted or track-mounted for multi-hatch access — see Track Mounted Gangways |
| Custom Engineering | Every gangway is custom-built to your site. We can visit your facility to specify the right solution. |
| Need specific dimensions or a non-standard configuration? Talk to a Carbis engineer → | |
Frequently Asked Questions
A truck gangway (also called a folding stair or tanker gangway) is a self-leveling access structure that deploys from a fixed loading platform to the top of a tank truck or tanker trailer. It adjusts to different vehicle heights and includes a safety cage to prevent falls, keeping your operators protected throughout the loading and unloading process.
The stair assembly is mounted on a pivot that allows it to rise and lower with vehicle height. When a truck pulls into position, the operator lowers the gangway until it rests on the vehicle. The steps self-level regardless of height variation, providing a safe, stable walking surface — with no need to re-spot the vehicle between loads.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23 governs walking-working surfaces and fall protection at elevated access points, including loading platform gangways. Carbis truck gangways are designed and manufactured to meet these requirements. We can provide compliance documentation on request — contact us to find out more.
Yes. Our engineering team offers on-site assessments to evaluate your vehicle mix, platform height, and hatch layout. We then specify a gangway solution — including cage type, width, and mounting — tailored to your facility. Every Carbis gangway is custom-built; nothing is off-the-shelf.
A fixed gangway serves a single hatch position. A track-mounted gangway travels horizontally along a rail, allowing one unit to serve multiple hatch positions on the same vehicle or different vehicles with varying hatch spacing — ideal for facilities handling a mixed fleet or multi-hatch tankers.
Routine inspection of pivot points, handrails, cage connections, and non-slip surfaces is recommended at least annually. Carbis provides replacement parts and can support a preventive maintenance programme for your gangway fleet. Contact us to discuss a maintenance schedule for your facility.
Self-Leveling Folding Stairs
Whether you’re installing, inspecting, or maintaining a TCG-1000 Gangway, you’ll find the technical information you need to keep your equipment operating safely and efficiently.
Specifying the wrong truck gangway is a costly mistake — one that affects operator safety, loading throughput, and OSHA compliance from day one. In our latest guide, our engineering team walks through exactly what to look for: vehicle mix, gangway type, cage selection, width, materials, and why a site assessment beats a desk specification every time.
Industries Severed
Oil & Gas / Petroleum Terminals High-throughput terminals running around the clock need fast, reliable gangway deployment and fully enclosed safety cages — vapour exposure at the hatch makes every access point a potential incident.
Chemical & Bulk Liquid A slip accessing an acid or solvent tanker is a chemical exposure incident, not just a fall. Gangway materials must perform in corrosive atmospheres without compromise.
Food & Beverage Liquid food operations demand food-safe materials, consistent access across varying tanker heights, and fast vehicle turnaround — all without compromising hygiene standards.
Cement, Frac Sand & Dry Bulk Multiple hatches, variable trailer heights, and abrasive dust environments make dry bulk operations one of the most demanding applications for truck gangway systems.
Agriculture Corrosive fertiliser and crop chemical residues, combined with seasonal throughput peaks, require gangways built for robust performance with minimal maintenance downtime.
Mining & Minerals Acid and slurry tanker access demands wider gangways, stainless hardware, and heavy-duty cage construction — operators in full PPE need every design advantage available.
Have Questions? Call us at 1.843.669.6668
Different Styles of Gangways
Self-Leveling Folding Stairs
Truck gangways with self-leveling folding stairs for safer tanker truck and ISO container access.
Flat Ramp
Access the tops of trucks and railcars where your vehicle height stays consistent.
Flat Ramp
The Telescoping Gangway is designed to reach into the rail car crash box.
Engineering Safety Access Solutions
Since 1930
Project Samples
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Talk to Us About a Solution Tailor Made for You
Our design and engineering team can visit your site to assess your particular circumstances. Each Folding Self-Leveling Gangway can then be customized to meet your specific needs and your company’s unique challenges.
The result is very simple: when smaller vehicles arrive, operators can easily lower the gangway to ensure a safe route down; then when larger vehicles follow, the same gangway will adjust to the height variation, while still offering level steps. It’s your way to maximize throughput while keeping your operators safe when they need to access a wide range of tanker heights.