{{Short description|Area of a building where goods are loaded and unloaded}} {{More footnotes needed|date=June 2014}}
[[File:Modern loading dock.jpg|alt=loading bay|300px|thumb|Modern loading bay with overhead door, dock leveller and dock shelter]] A '''loading dock''' or '''loading bay''' is an area of a building where goods vehicles (usually road or rail) are loaded and unloaded. They are commonly found on commercial and industrial buildings, and [[warehouse]]s in particular. Loading docks may be exterior, flush with the [[building envelope]], or fully enclosed. They are part of a facility's service or utility infrastructure, typically providing direct access to [[staging area]]s, storage rooms, and [[freight elevator]]s.<ref name="wbdg">{{cite web |author=Sophia Greenbaum |title=Whole Building Design Guide: Loading Dock |url=http://www.wbdg.org/design/loading_dock.php |access-date=2008-02-26 |publisher=[[National Institute of Building Sciences]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://partsbrite.com/blogs/news/understanding-what-are-the-functions-of-the-loading-dock|title=Understanding What Are the Functions of the Loading Dock|date=June 7, 2025|website=Parts Brite}}</ref>
==Basics== [[File:Loading dock.jpg|thumb|right|Truck loading dock with overhead door, dock leveler, dock seals, canopy, indicator lights, and truck restraint system]] In order to facilitate [[material handling]], loading docks may be equipped with the following:<ref name="wbdg" /> * Bumpers – protect the dock from truck damage, may also be used as a guide by the truck driver when backing up. * Dock leveler – a height-adjustable platform used as a [[dock plate|bridge between dock and truck]], can be operated via mechanical ([[Spring (device)|spring]]), [[Hydraulics|hydraulic]], or [[Pneumatics|air powered]] systems. * Dock lift – serves the same function as a leveler, but operates similar to a [[Aerial work platform#Scissor|scissor lift]] to allow for greater height adjustments. * Dock seals or dock shelters – compressible foam blocks against which the truck presses when parked; seals are used at exterior truck bays in colder climates, where this will provide protection from the weather. * Truck or vehicle restraint system – a strong metal hook mounted to the base of the dock which will hook to the frame or bumper of a trailer and prevents it from rolling away during loading operations, can be operated via manual, hydraulic, or electrical systems; this system can replace or work in conjunction with [[Chock (wheel)|wheel chocks]]. * Dock light – a movable articulating light mounted inside the dock used to provide lighting inside the truck during loading operations. * Indicator lights - show truck drivers when to back in or pull out. * Loading dock software – provides a method for tracking and reporting on the loading dock activity. *Side shift - the truck dock is equipped with a side shift facility to enable accurate aligning of the roller deck with the truck. This facility includes two [[hydraulic cylinder]] assemblies, one at the front and one at the rear end of the dock, and enables a left/right movement.
Warehouses that handle [[pallet]]ized freight use a dock leveler, so items can be easily loaded and unloaded using power moving equipment (e.g. a [[forklift]]). When a truck backs into such a loading dock, the [[Bumper (automobile)|bumpers]] on the loading dock and the bumpers on the trailer come into contact but may leave a gap; also, the warehouse floor and the trailer deck may not be horizontally aligned. In North America, the most common dock height is {{convert|48|-|52|in|cm}}, though heights of up to {{convert|55|in|cm}} occur as well.<ref name="wbdg"/> A dock leveler bridges the gap between a truck and a warehouse to safely accommodate a forklift.
Where it is not practical to install permanent concrete loading docks, or for temporary situations, then it is common to use a mobile version of the loading dock, often called a [[yard ramp]].
==Loading zone== In different parts of the world, a section of a public or private road may be allocated for loading goods or persons, at specific or at all times. There are parking signs and/or road markings to warn motorists of parking regulations. These areas are known as '''loading zones''' or '''loading bays''' in many jurisdictions. They are generally monitored by [[parking inspector]]s, and vehicles found to be violating the rules can be [[towing|towed]] or [[Fine (penalty)|fined]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/services/parking-regulations/on-street-parking-changes/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111142642/http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/services/parking-regulations/on-street-parking-changes/|title=On Street Parking Changes|archivedate=November 11, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/freight/parking_and_loading.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228154935/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/freight/parking_and_loading.aspx|url-status=dead|title=Parking and Loading|archivedate=February 28, 2014}}</ref>
<gallery align="center" mode="packed"> Image:LoadingBay2.jpg|Typical warehouse exterior showing loading docks Image:nrb-dock.jpg|An interior loading dock at the New Research Building, [[Harvard Medical School]] Image:Publix Loading Dock.jpg|A reinforced concrete loading dock under construction Image:Helsinki Malmi Koivunen Oy 1.jpg|Loading docks at Koivunen Oy company in [[Malmi, Helsinki|Malmi]], [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]] </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Loading bays}} * [http://www.mhi.org/lodem Loading Dock Equipment Manufacturers (LODEM)] * [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/Loading_dock_details#Voting Loading Dock Dimensional Tags]
[[Category:Freight transport]] [[Category:Architectural elements]]