Free checklist · Aerial & lifting
Aerial lift inspection checklist for MEWP pre-use checks (free, printable)
This aerial lift checklist is the pre-start inspection the ANSI A92 standards call for before each shift on any MEWP: scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts and boom lifts. It covers the work area, a walk-around, the platform and a test of every function, with N/A for parts only some machines have. Free to print, or put it on a QR code so operators check from their phones.
- How often
- Before each shift
- The rule
- OSHA 1926.453 + ANSI A92
- Items
- 28 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Aerial lift inspection checklist for MEWP pre-use checks
Before each shift
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work area | |||
| Power linesNone within 10 ft, more for high-voltage lines; spotter if close | |||
| Ground conditionsFirm and level enough for the machine; no holes, drop-offs or soft ground | |||
| Overhead obstructionsClear of beams, pipes, branches and doorways over the whole work path | |||
| Traffic and exclusion zoneCones or barriers keep vehicles and people clear of the base | |||
| Walk-around (stowed, power off) | |||
| Manual, decals and capacityManual on board; capacity, control and warning decals readable | |||
| Lifting structureScissor arms, mast or boom: no cracks, dents, bends or weld damage | |||
| Pins and retainersEvery pivot pin in place with its bolt or clip | |||
| HydraulicsNo leaks or chafed hoses; oil at the mark with the machine stowed | |||
| Tires and wheelsNo cuts, chunks or splits; wheel nuts tight | |||
| Fuel or battery levelEnough fuel or charge for the shift | ☐ Full ☐ 3/4 ☐ 1/2 ☐ 1/4 or less | ||
| Engine fluidsOil and coolant at the marks; no leaks | |||
| Pothole guardsGroup A machines: guards not bent and free to move | |||
| TurntableGroup B machines: no cracks, bolts in place, turntable lock released | |||
| Outriggers or stabilizersPads, jacks and interlocks undamaged; no leaks | |||
| Platform | |||
| Guardrails and gateRails and toe boards secure; gate self-closes and latches | |||
| Deck and extensionFloor not damaged or slippery; extension deck slides and locks | |||
| Anchor pointsMarked and undamaged; harness and lanyard checked before use | |||
| Platform controlsControl box secure; joysticks, switches and decals intact | |||
| Function tests | |||
| Hour meterReading from the control panel | ________ hours | ||
| Ground controls and overrideEach function works from the ground and overrides the platform | |||
| Emergency stopsRed buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions | |||
| Enable or foot switchNothing moves unless the enable or foot switch is held | |||
| Lift and boom functionsSmooth through their range; stop when released; no drift | |||
| Drive, steer and brakesDrives and steers both ways; brakes hold when you release | |||
| Elevated drive speedDrive slows to creep speed once raised | |||
| Tilt alarm and load sensingAlarm sounds and functions restrict as the manual's test describes | |||
| Emergency loweringManual or auxiliary lowering works; you know where it is | |||
| Horn and motion alarmsWork, if fitted | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on an aerial lift, item by item
Work area
- Power lines — None within 10 ft, more for high-voltage lines; spotter if close
- Ground conditions — Firm and level enough for the machine; no holes, drop-offs or soft ground
- Overhead obstructions — Clear of beams, pipes, branches and doorways over the whole work path
- Traffic and exclusion zone — Cones or barriers keep vehicles and people clear of the base
Walk-around (stowed, power off)
- Manual, decals and capacity — Manual on board; capacity, control and warning decals readable
- Lifting structure — Scissor arms, mast or boom: no cracks, dents, bends or weld damage
- Pins and retainers — Every pivot pin in place with its bolt or clip
- Hydraulics — No leaks or chafed hoses; oil at the mark with the machine stowed
- Tires and wheels — No cuts, chunks or splits; wheel nuts tight
- Fuel or battery level — Enough fuel or charge for the shift (Full / 3/4 / 1/2 / 1/4 or less)
- Engine fluids — Oil and coolant at the marks; no leaks
- Pothole guards — Group A machines: guards not bent and free to move
- Turntable — Group B machines: no cracks, bolts in place, turntable lock released
- Outriggers or stabilizers — Pads, jacks and interlocks undamaged; no leaks
Platform
- Guardrails and gate — Rails and toe boards secure; gate self-closes and latches
- Deck and extension — Floor not damaged or slippery; extension deck slides and locks
- Anchor points — Marked and undamaged; harness and lanyard checked before use
- Platform controls — Control box secure; joysticks, switches and decals intact
Function tests
- Hour meter — Reading from the control panel (reading, in hours)
- Ground controls and override — Each function works from the ground and overrides the platform
- Emergency stops — Red buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions
- Enable or foot switch — Nothing moves unless the enable or foot switch is held
- Lift and boom functions — Smooth through their range; stop when released; no drift
- Drive, steer and brakes — Drives and steers both ways; brakes hold when you release
- Elevated drive speed — Drive slows to creep speed once raised
- Tilt alarm and load sensing — Alarm sounds and functions restrict as the manual's test describes
- Emergency lowering — Manual or auxiliary lowering works; you know where it is
- Horn and motion alarms — Work, if fitted
Which machines this checklist covers
This checklist covers any mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), the ANSI A92 term for what OSHA and most people call aerial lifts. The A92 standards, as manufacturers and SAIA describe them, sort MEWPs into two groups and three types, and the checklist works for all of them: lines that only apply to one group are marked N/A on the others.
| Class | What it means | Typical machines |
|---|---|---|
| Group A | The platform stays inside the tipping lines; it goes straight up | Scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts |
| Group B | The platform can reach outside the tipping lines | Articulating and telescopic boom lifts, trailer booms |
| Type 1 | Travels only when stowed | Push-around mast lifts, trailer booms |
| Type 2 | Can travel raised, driven from the chassis | Uncommon |
| Type 3 | Can travel raised, driven from the platform | Self-propelled scissor and boom lifts |
Bucket trucks are vehicle-mounted aerial devices under a different standard, ANSI A92.2; use the truck's own manual for those. For machine-specific lists, see the scissor lift checklist and the boom lift checklist.
How often an aerial lift has to be inspected
An aerial lift needs a pre-start inspection before each shift, a frequent inspection every 3 months or 150 hours, and an annual inspection within 13 months, under the ANSI A92 standards as summarized by manufacturers and SAIA.
| Inspection | When | Who | Written record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-start (pre-use) | Before use, each shift | The operator | Not required by OSHA; good practice |
| Frequent | Every 3 months or 150 hours, whichever comes first | A qualified person | Yes, kept by the owner |
| Annual | No later than 13 months after the last one | A qualified person | Yes, kept by the owner |
OSHA's rules sit alongside these. For boom lifts, "Lift controls shall be tested each day prior to use" (29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(i)). For scissor lifts, OSHA says many are covered by its scaffold standard, which requires an inspection "by a competent person before each work shift" (1926.451(f)(3)). In the UK, MEWPs lift people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every 6 months; see LOLER thorough examinations. The full picture is in MEWP inspection requirements.
How to do the check
Work from the outside in: the work area, the machine stowed, the platform, then every function from the ground before anyone goes up.
- Check the work area. Power lines, overhead obstructions, ground conditions, slope and traffic.
- Walk around the machine stowed. Structure, pins, hydraulics, tires, and the group-specific parts: pothole guards on Group A, turntable on Group B, outriggers if fitted.
- Check fluids and power. Hydraulic oil with the machine stowed, then fuel or charge.
- Check the platform. Guardrails, gate, deck, anchor points and controls.
- Test from the ground controls, including the emergency stop and the override.
- Test from the platform: enable or foot switch, each function, drive and brakes, slow speed when raised, and the tilt alarm and load sensing as the manual describes.
- Find the emergency lowering controls and make sure the ground crew knows them.
- Record and report. Don't use a machine that fails.
The defects that take an aerial lift out of service
Anything wrong with the controls, the structure, the stability systems or the guardrails takes the machine out of service.
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Emergency stop, enable or foot switch not working | Functions can't be stopped, or move unintentionally |
| Ground controls can't override the platform | Nobody can lower a stranded operator |
| Tilt alarm, load sensing or pothole guards not working | The machine can tip |
| Cracked structure, weld or missing pin | The platform can collapse or fall |
| Hydraulic leak or drift | The platform can lower on its own |
| Damaged guardrail or gate | The operator can fall |
| Emergency lowering doesn't work | No way down if the machine fails at height |
What to do when something fails
Lower and stow the machine, shut it down, tag both control stations and report it. On construction sites, OSHA requires unsafe equipment to be tagged or locked out, or removed (29 CFR 1926.20(b)(3)). Use an out-of-service tag, call the rental company for a rented machine, and follow what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
OSHA doesn't require the pre-start check to be written down, but frequent and annual inspections are expected to be recorded under the ANSI A92 standards, and a dated pre-start record is the only proof the daily check happened. In the UK, IPAF recommends logging pre-use checks. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
With a QR sticker on each lift, operators scan with their own phone and run this checklist in the browser, with no app or login, and every check is filed under that machine. Problems email you with photos and warn the next operator. See aerial lift inspections by QR code.
Skip the clipboard
Put this aerial lift inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Aerial lift 1
Aerial lift inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
What is a MEWP pre-use inspection?
It's the operator's check of a mobile elevating work platform before use each shift: the work area, a walk-around, the platform and a test of every function and safety device. The ANSI A92 standards call it the pre-start inspection; in the UK it's usually called the pre-use check.
What's the difference between pre-start, frequent and annual MEWP inspections?
The pre-start is the operator's check before each shift. The frequent inspection, every 3 months or 150 hours, and the annual inspection, within 13 months, are deeper inspections by a qualified person and are recorded. Those are the ANSI A92 intervals as manufacturers and SAIA summarize them.
Does one checklist work for both scissor and boom lifts?
Yes, if it marks the group-specific parts as N/A: pothole guards on scissor lifts, the turntable and jib on booms, outriggers where fitted. Machine-specific checklists are quicker for operators, so many fleets use one per type.
How often do MEWPs need a thorough examination in the UK?
At least every 6 months, because they lift people, or in line with an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. That's the LOLER thorough examination, separate from the operator's daily pre-use check.
Do I need to do a pre-start inspection on a rented aerial lift?
Yes. The rental company handles frequent and annual inspections on its own fleet, but the pre-start check before each shift is the user's job. Check the machine when it's delivered and before every shift after that.
Keep reading
- MEWP inspection requirementsMEWPs need an operator pre-start check each shift, a frequent inspection every 3 months or 150 hours, and an annual one. ANSI A92 and OSHA rules explained.
- Scissor lift inspection checklistFree scissor lift pre-use inspection checklist: guardrails, gate, controls, emergency stop and lowering, pothole guards, tilt alarm and tires. Print or use QR.
- Boom lift inspection checklistFree boom lift pre-start inspection checklist for articulating and telescopic booms: boom, jib, turntable, platform, anchors, controls and emergency lowering.
- Aerial lift inspection appAn aerial lift inspection app for MEWP pre-start checks: scan the QR sticker on a scissor or boom lift and check on any phone, no app or login. Defects email you.
- Equipment rentalRental equipment inspections on a QR sticker: a dated, photographed condition check each time a machine goes out and comes back. No app or login needed.
- ConstructionConstruction equipment inspections on a QR sticker per machine. Operators and subs scan with their own phone, no app or login. Defects email you with photos.
Do your aerial lift checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.