Plant pre-start checklist template: what to check every shift
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A practical plant pre-start checklist template for Australian sites: walk-around items for forklifts, EWPs, excavators and loaders, a defect tag-out snippet, and where to keep the records.
Most hire companies and civil sites will not let you start a forklift, EWP or excavator until a daily pre-start is filled in. Manufacturer checklists vary; the WHS duty is to make sure plant is safe to use. This page gives you a template structure you can print and adapt.
The short answer
- Do a pre-start at the start of each shift, for each machine, before it moves.
- Record plant ID, hour meter, operator, ticket number, date and shift.
- Walk-around first (tyres/tracks, leaks, pins, guards, lights, horn, reverse alarm), then function checks (brakes, steering, controls, e-stop).
- Faults go in a defect register with tag-out. Do not "run it careful" until it is fixed or a competent person clears it.
- Keep the sheets – insurers and investigators ask for them after incidents.
Printable pre-start snippet (tick OK / FAULT / N/A)
- Walk-around: body damage, loose guards, missing pins
- Tyres or tracks: pressure, cuts, tension
- Fluids: engine oil, hydraulic oil, coolant, fuel – no puddles under the machine
- Hydraulic hoses and rams: leaks, bulges, damaged fittings
- Lights, horn, reverse / travel alarm
- Seatbelt / restraint and operator seat condition
- Brakes, steering, controls, attachments
- ROPS / FOPS condition (where fitted)
- Fire extinguisher present and in date
- Load chart readable; e-stop works
- Safe to operate? Yes / No – signature
Worked example – site forklift, Monday morning
Plant ID FLT-04 · hours 4,812 · operator Mia (LF ticket). Walk-around finds a weeping hydraulic fitting on the tilt ram → FAULT, red tag, entered in defect register, machine quarantined. Spare FLT-02 pre-started clean and used instead. Fitting replaced same day; FLT-04 cleared and returned to hire pool.
Track due dates for plant, lifting gear and test-and-tag in one place with the register below. For a bound book of 100 daily pages, keep printed sheets in a folder for now, or use a simple duplicate book from a stationery supplier. Our Plant Pre-Start Checklist Book is heading to Amazon KDP.
Handy tools (affiliate): digital multimeter for battery/charging checks, LED torch for under-machine inspections.
Quick answers
Is a pre-start legally required every day?
WHS laws require plant to be maintained and inspected so it stays safe. Daily pre-starts are the common way sites meet that duty and hire-company rules. Follow the manufacturer and your site procedure.
What if I find a fault mid-shift?
Stop, tag out, record it, and do not use the machine until a competent person clears it.
Can one checklist cover every machine type?
Use a common core (walk-around, fluids, brakes, e-stop) plus machine-specific items from the manufacturer for EWPs, excavators and cranes.
Where should records be kept?
On site for the current job, then filed by plant ID. A register of next-inspection due dates stops overdue gear staying on the floor.
Sources
- Safe Work Australia – Plant
- Safe Work Australia – Managing risks of plant
- WorkSafe Queensland – Plant, machinery and equipment
Related guides
- Workshop plant and lifting gear inspections
- Electrical test and tag in Australia
- Test and tag register template
- Hot work permit template
General information only, summarised from the official sources above as at the review date. It isn't legal, WHS or engineering advice. Rules change and your situation may differ, so check the source or ask a professional.