Free checklist · Aerial & lifting
Boom lift inspection checklist (free, printable)
This boom lift pre-start checklist covers articulating and telescopic booms: the work area, boom and jib, pins, turntable, hydraulics, tires and axles, the platform and its harness anchors, then every function from the ground and platform controls, including the foot switch, emergency stop and emergency lowering. OSHA requires lift controls to be tested each day before use. Free to print or use by QR code.
- How often
- Before each shift
- The rule
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(i)
- Items
- 28 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Boom lift inspection checklist
Before each shift
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work area | |||
| Power linesNone within 10 ft, more for high-voltage lines; spotter if close | |||
| Ground and slopeFirm and within the lift's rated slope; no holes, drop-offs or soft fill | |||
| Overhead and travel pathClear of beams, branches and structures through the full boom swing | |||
| Walk-around (boom stowed, engine off) | |||
| Manual and decalsManual in its holder; capacity, control and warning decals readable | |||
| Boom sectionsNo cracks, dents or bends; wear pads in place on telescopic booms | |||
| JibNo cracks or bends; jib pins in place and cylinder not leaking | |||
| Pins and retainersEvery pivot pin in place with its bolt or clip | |||
| Hydraulic hoses and cylindersNo leaks, wet fittings, or chafed or bulging hoses | |||
| TurntableNo cracks; bolts in place; turntable lock released | |||
| Engine oil and coolantAt the marks; no leaks | |||
| Hydraulic oil levelBetween the marks with the boom stowed | |||
| Fuel or battery levelEnough fuel or charge for the shift | ☐ Full ☐ 3/4 ☐ 1/2 ☐ 1/4 or less | ||
| Tires and wheelsNo cuts or chunks; foam-filled tires not split; lug nuts tight | |||
| Outriggers or axlesOutriggers, extendable or oscillating axles undamaged, no leaks | |||
| Platform | |||
| Guardrails and gateRails and toe boards secure; gate self-closes and latches | |||
| Harness anchor pointsMarked, not bent or cracked; your lanyard clips on properly | |||
| Platform control boxCover, decals and joysticks intact; switches return to center | |||
| Function tests | |||
| Hour meterReading from the ground control panel | ________ hours | ||
| Ground controlsEvery function works from the ground station, overriding the platform | |||
| Emergency stopsRed buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions | |||
| Foot switchNothing moves unless the foot switch is pressed | |||
| Boom functionsLift, telescope, jib and swing are smooth and stop when released | |||
| Platform rotate and levelRotates both ways; platform stays level as the boom moves | |||
| Drive, steer and brakesDrives and steers both ways; brakes hold when you release | |||
| Elevated drive speedSlow speed engages once the boom is raised | |||
| Tilt alarmAlarm sounds and functions restrict when off level; test per manual | |||
| Emergency loweringAuxiliary power or manual descent works; you know where it is | |||
| Horn and alarmsHorn, motion alarm and beacon work | |||
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 a boom lift, item by item
Work area
- Power lines — None within 10 ft, more for high-voltage lines; spotter if close
- Ground and slope — Firm and within the lift's rated slope; no holes, drop-offs or soft fill
- Overhead and travel path — Clear of beams, branches and structures through the full boom swing
Walk-around (boom stowed, engine off)
- Manual and decals — Manual in its holder; capacity, control and warning decals readable
- Boom sections — No cracks, dents or bends; wear pads in place on telescopic booms
- Jib — No cracks or bends; jib pins in place and cylinder not leaking
- Pins and retainers — Every pivot pin in place with its bolt or clip
- Hydraulic hoses and cylinders — No leaks, wet fittings, or chafed or bulging hoses
- Turntable — No cracks; bolts in place; turntable lock released
- Engine oil and coolant — At the marks; no leaks
- Hydraulic oil level — Between the marks with the boom stowed
- Fuel or battery level — Enough fuel or charge for the shift (Full / 3/4 / 1/2 / 1/4 or less)
- Tires and wheels — No cuts or chunks; foam-filled tires not split; lug nuts tight
- Outriggers or axles — Outriggers, extendable or oscillating axles undamaged, no leaks
Platform
- Guardrails and gate — Rails and toe boards secure; gate self-closes and latches
- Harness anchor points — Marked, not bent or cracked; your lanyard clips on properly
- Platform control box — Cover, decals and joysticks intact; switches return to center
Function tests
- Hour meter — Reading from the ground control panel (reading, in hours)
- Ground controls — Every function works from the ground station, overriding the platform
- Emergency stops — Red buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions
- Foot switch — Nothing moves unless the foot switch is pressed
- Boom functions — Lift, telescope, jib and swing are smooth and stop when released
- Platform rotate and level — Rotates both ways; platform stays level as the boom moves
- Drive, steer and brakes — Drives and steers both ways; brakes hold when you release
- Elevated drive speed — Slow speed engages once the boom is raised
- Tilt alarm — Alarm sounds and functions restrict when off level; test per manual
- Emergency lowering — Auxiliary power or manual descent works; you know where it is
- Horn and alarms — Horn, motion alarm and beacon work
How often a boom lift has to be inspected
A boom lift has to have its controls tested every day before use, and the whole machine checked before each shift. OSHA's aerial lift rule for extensible and articulating boom platforms says: "Lift controls shall be tested each day prior to use to determine that such controls are in safe working condition" (29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(i)). The general industry rule for vehicle-mounted platforms, 1910.67(c)(2)(i), uses the same words.
The ANSI A92 standards for mobile elevating work platforms, as summarized by manufacturers and SAIA, call for a pre-start inspection by the operator before each shift, a frequent inspection every 3 months or 150 hours, and an annual inspection within 13 months, the last two by a qualified person. This checklist is the pre-start inspection; the aerial lift checklist explains all three, and MEWP inspection requirements covers the rules in depth.
Articulating or telescopic: what's different
Both kinds get the same checklist, but the wear points differ, so look in different places.
| Check | Articulating (knuckle) boom | Telescopic (straight) boom |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Several pivoting sections joined by pins and links | Nested sections that slide in and out |
| Where wear shows | Pivot pins, link pins, leveling cylinders | Wear pads between sections, the extend system |
| Jib | Usually fitted | Sometimes fitted |
| In the function test | Each section raises and lowers smoothly in turn | Extends and retracts smoothly with no jerking or chatter |
How to do the check
Check the work area, walk around with the boom stowed, then test every function from the ground before going up.
- Look at where you'll work. Power lines, overhead obstructions through the full swing, ground conditions and slope.
- Walk around with the boom stowed and engine off. Boom sections, jib, pins, hoses, turntable, tires, axles and outriggers, the manual and the decals.
- Check fluids and fuel. Engine oil and coolant, hydraulic oil with the boom stowed, then fuel or charge.
- Check the platform. Guardrails, gate, anchor points and the control box.
- Test from the ground controls. Every function, and the emergency stop. OSHA requires that "Lower controls shall provide for overriding the upper controls" (1926.453(b)(2)(ix)), so confirm they do.
- Test from the platform. Foot switch, boom functions, rotation and leveling, drive, steer and brakes, the slow speed when raised, and the tilt alarm per the manual.
- Find the emergency lowering controls. Make sure the person on the ground knows how to use them.
- Clip in and record. Harness on, lanyard to the platform anchor, then mark the result.
The defects that take a boom lift out of service
Any defect in the controls, structure or fall protection takes the lift out of service.
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Foot switch or emergency stop doesn't work | Functions can move with nobody intending it, or can't be stopped |
| Ground controls can't override the platform | The person below can't bring a stranded operator down |
| Cracked boom section, weld or missing pin | The boom can fail under load |
| Hydraulic leak, or a boom that drifts down | The platform can lower or move on its own |
| Tilt alarm or load sensing not working | The lift can be overloaded or tip |
| Damaged anchor point | A fall arrest can tear it out |
| Split tire, loose lug nuts, or an axle cylinder leaking | The base loses stability |
| Emergency lowering doesn't work | No way down if the machine fails at height |
What to do when something fails
Stow the boom, shut the lift down, tag the controls and report it. On construction sites, OSHA requires equipment that doesn't comply to be identified as unsafe "by tagging or locking the controls to render them inoperable" or removed (29 CFR 1926.20(b)(3)). Use an out-of-service tag at both control stations, call the rental company if it's rented, and follow what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
OSHA doesn't say the daily control test must be written down, but a dated record is how you show it happened. The ANSI A92 standards, as manufacturers summarize them, expect frequent and annual inspections to be recorded. In the UK, a boom lift lifts people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every 6 months. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
A QR sticker on the platform or the ground control panel lets operators run this pre-start on their own phone in the browser. Problems email you with photos, and the next person to scan that lift sees the open problem first. See aerial lift inspections by QR code.
Skip the clipboard
Put this boom 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.
Boom lift 1
Boom lift inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
Does OSHA require a daily boom lift inspection?
OSHA requires boom lift controls to be "tested each day prior to use to determine that such controls are in safe working condition" (29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(i)). Manufacturers and the ANSI A92 standards add a full pre-start inspection of the machine before each shift.
Do you have to wear a harness in a boom lift?
Yes. OSHA's aerial lift rule requires a lanyard attached to the boom or basket when working from the lift (1926.453(b)(2)(v)), and body belts are no longer acceptable for fall arrest, so in practice that means a full-body harness clipped to the platform's anchor point.
Can you tie off to a beam from a boom lift?
No. OSHA says "Belting off to an adjacent pole, structure, or equipment while working from an aerial lift shall not be permitted" (1926.453(b)(2)(iii)). Clip only to the anchor points on the platform.
Who is allowed to operate a boom lift?
"Only authorized persons shall operate an aerial lift" (1926.453(b)(2)(ii)): people your company has trained and authorized for that type of lift, and familiarized with the model they'll use.
What's the difference between a boom lift and a cherry picker?
Nothing in practice: cherry picker is a common name, especially in the UK, for a boom-type lift. Under the ANSI A92 standards and UK guidance, both are mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) whose platform can reach out beyond the base.
Keep reading
- Aerial lift inspection checklistFree aerial lift and MEWP pre-use inspection checklist for scissor and boom lifts, plus the ANSI A92 pre-start, frequent and annual inspections 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Harness inspection checklistFree fall protection harness inspection checklist: webbing, stitching, D-rings, buckles, labels, lanyard or SRL, shock pack and connectors, before each use.
- 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 boom 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.