An elevated platform at the shipping or delivery door of a building; it is usually situated at the same height as the floor of a shipping container on a truck or railroad car to facilitate loading and unloading. Loading docks can be exterior ramps that protrude from a building and that are covered with a canopy or some element to protect the loading area from the elements. Otherwise, they can be flush with the exterior of the building and accessed through a sliding door that is adjacent to the interior of the building.
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