Free checklist · Material handling
Forklift pre-start checklist for Australian workplaces (free, printable)
This forklift pre-start checklist is the operator's check before a forklift is used each shift on Australian sites: visual checks with the key off (load rating plate, forks, chains, tyres, LPG cylinder or battery, fluids), then operational checks with it running (brakes, park brake, steering, hydraulics, horn, lights, alarms). WHS regulation 213 points to the manufacturer's recommendations, so match it to the operator's manual.
- How often
- Before each shift
- The rule
- The manufacturer's manual
- Items
- 23 checks
- Takes
- About 6 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Forklift pre-start checklist for Australian workplaces
Before each shift
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before you start | |||
| Last pre-start and tagsNo danger or out-of-service tag; no open defect from the last pre-start | |||
| Hour meterReading from the meter or display | ________ hours | ||
| Visual checks (key off, forks lowered) | |||
| Load rating plateFitted, readable and correct for the attachment fitted | |||
| ForksNo cracks, bends or worn heels; locking pins in place | |||
| Chains and mastChains evenly tensioned with no damaged links; mast free of cracks | |||
| Hydraulic hoses and cylindersNo leaks, cuts, bulges or wet fittings | |||
| Tyres and wheelsNo cuts or chunks missing; air tyres inflated; wheel nuts tight | |||
| Overhead guard and load backrestNot bent or cracked; all bolts in place | |||
| Seat beltLatches, retracts and isn't cut or frayed | |||
| Fire extinguisherMounted, gauge in the green, service tag in date | |||
| Engine oil and coolantBetween the marks; no leaks under the forklift | |||
| Hydraulic oilAt the mark with the forks fully lowered | |||
| LPG cylinderLocating pin in, strapped down, valve and hose sound, no gas smell | |||
| Battery and charging leadCharged, no leaks or corrosion, lead unplugged, restraint fitted | |||
| Fuel or charge levelEnough for the shift | ☐ Full ☐ 3/4 ☐ 1/2 ☐ 1/4 ☐ Refuel or charge now | ||
| Operational checks (engine on) | |||
| Gauges and warning lightsGauges work; no warning light stays on after start-up | |||
| HornLoud enough to be heard over the work area | |||
| Lights, beacon and reversing alarmWorking, including any blue spot or pedestrian warning lights | |||
| Service brakesPedal firm; stops smoothly and straight | |||
| Park brakeHolds the forklift stationary | |||
| SteeringSmooth both ways with no binding or excess play | |||
| Lift, lower and tiltSmooth, no jerking or drift; chains take up evenly | |||
| Side shift and attachmentsWork smoothly and are locked on | |||
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 forklift, item by item
Before you start
- Last pre-start and tags — No danger or out-of-service tag; no open defect from the last pre-start
- Hour meter — Reading from the meter or display (reading, in hours)
Visual checks (key off, forks lowered)
- Load rating plate — Fitted, readable and correct for the attachment fitted
- Forks — No cracks, bends or worn heels; locking pins in place
- Chains and mast — Chains evenly tensioned with no damaged links; mast free of cracks
- Hydraulic hoses and cylinders — No leaks, cuts, bulges or wet fittings
- Tyres and wheels — No cuts or chunks missing; air tyres inflated; wheel nuts tight
- Overhead guard and load backrest — Not bent or cracked; all bolts in place
- Seat belt — Latches, retracts and isn't cut or frayed
- Fire extinguisher — Mounted, gauge in the green, service tag in date
- Engine oil and coolant — Between the marks; no leaks under the forklift
- Hydraulic oil — At the mark with the forks fully lowered
- LPG cylinder — Locating pin in, strapped down, valve and hose sound, no gas smell
- Battery and charging lead — Charged, no leaks or corrosion, lead unplugged, restraint fitted
- Fuel or charge level — Enough for the shift (Full / 3/4 / 1/2 / 1/4 / Refuel or charge now)
Operational checks (engine on)
- Gauges and warning lights — Gauges work; no warning light stays on after start-up
- Horn — Loud enough to be heard over the work area
- Lights, beacon and reversing alarm — Working, including any blue spot or pedestrian warning lights
- Service brakes — Pedal firm; stops smoothly and straight
- Park brake — Holds the forklift stationary
- Steering — Smooth both ways with no binding or excess play
- Lift, lower and tilt — Smooth, no jerking or drift; chains take up evenly
- Side shift and attachments — Work smoothly and are locked on
Is a forklift pre-start check required in Australia?
In practice yes, though no regulation uses the words "pre-start check". Under the model Work Health and Safety Regulations, regulation 213, the person with management or control of plant "must ensure that the maintenance, inspection and, if necessary, testing of the plant is carried out by a competent person", and it must be done "in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, if any" (Queensland's text). Forklift manufacturers list checks to do before each shift, so a pre-start is how most workplaces meet that duty day to day.
Regulation 218 adds duties for industrial lift trucks: lifting attachments suitable for the load, risks from the way the truck is used managed so far as is reasonably practicable, and no passenger unless the truck is designed to carry a seated one, with suitable seat restraints, inside the operator's zone of protection.
Each state and territory enforces its own version through its regulator, such as SafeWork NSW, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WorkSafe Queensland) and WorkSafe WA. Victoria hasn't adopted the model laws: WorkSafe Victoria enforces the OHS Regulations 2017 there, so the regulation numbers above don't apply. Wherever you are, the items on your pre-start should come from the forklift's operator manual. More in pre-start checks in Australia.
How to do a forklift pre-start
- Check the last pre-start and the tags. If the forklift is tagged out or has an open defect, don't use it.
- Park it safely. Level ground, forks lowered to the floor, park brake on, key off.
- Do the visual checks. Load rating plate, forks and locking pins, chains, mast, hydraulic hoses, tyres and wheel nuts, overhead guard, seat belt and fire extinguisher.
- Check fluids and fuel. Engine oil, coolant and hydraulic oil at the marks. On gas forklifts, the LPG cylinder strapped down with its locating pin in and no smell of gas. On electric forklifts, the battery charged, the charging lead unplugged and the battery restraint fitted.
- Belt up and start it. Record the hour meter and watch for warning lights that stay on.
- Do the operational checks in a clear area. Horn, lights and reversing alarm, service brakes, park brake, steering, lift, lower and tilt, side shift and attachments.
- Sign it off. Every item marked, defects described, your name and the date. If you change to a different forklift, it needs its own pre-start.
Defects that put a forklift out of service
Anything that affects lifting, stopping, steering or warning people takes the forklift out of service until it's repaired.
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Load rating plate missing, or wrong for the attachment | Nobody can tell what the forklift can safely lift |
| Cracked, bent or worn forks, or a missing locking pin | A fork can snap or slide off under load |
| Damaged chain, or a mast that creeps down | The load can drop |
| Brakes, park brake or steering not right | The operator can't stop or control the forklift |
| Smell of gas, or a damaged LPG cylinder, valve or hose | Fire or explosion |
| Hydraulic leak or damaged hose | Loads can lower on their own; oil on the floor |
| Damaged seat belt or overhead guard | No protection in a tip-over or from falling loads |
| Horn, lights or reversing alarm not working | People on foot don't know it's coming |
What to do when the pre-start finds a defect
Tag it out, take the key and report it before anyone else uses it. Hang a danger or out-of-service tag on the steering wheel, write what's wrong, and tell your supervisor. Repairs are for a competent person, and the forklift stays out of service until it's been fixed and signed off. Labour hire operators follow the host site's tag-out process. The full process is in what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Licences and the pre-start
A forklift licence and a pre-start are separate things: the licence covers the operator, the pre-start covers the forklift. Operating "a forklift truck, other than a pedestrian operated forklift truck" is high risk work that needs a high risk work licence, which SafeWork NSW lists as the LF class, with order-picking forklifts under a separate LO class (SafeWork NSW). A licensed operator still pre-starts every forklift they take, because the licence says nothing about that truck's brakes today.
Keeping pre-start records
No WHS regulation sets how long to keep forklift pre-start sheets. "Keep them for at least a year" appears in industry material, but it's guidance, not law. Keep enough to show pre-starts happen every shift, what they found, and that defects were fixed before the forklift went back to work. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing pre-starts on a phone
Pre-start books go missing, and a defect written in one only reaches the supervisor when someone reads it. With CheckBadges, each forklift gets a QR sticker: operators scan it with their own phone and do the pre-start in the browser, with no app or login, so labour hire operators can do it on day one. A failed item emails your supervisor with photos and warns the next operator until it's marked fixed. It needs mobile coverage when the pre-start is submitted, and it's free for 3 machines.
Skip the clipboard
Put this forklift pre-start checklist (australia) 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.
Forklift 1
Forklift pre-start checklist (Australia)
Frequently asked questions
What is a forklift pre-start check?
It's the operator's check of a forklift before using it at the start of a shift: visual checks with the key off, then operational checks with the forklift running. It confirms that day's forklift is safe, and any defect is reported and tagged out before work starts.
Does WorkSafe require a forklift pre-start checklist?
State regulators enforce WHS laws that require plant to be inspected by a competent person in line with the manufacturer's recommendations, and forklift manufacturers specify checks before each shift. The regulation doesn't prescribe a form, so a checklist based on the operator's manual is the usual way to show it's done. Victoria's OHS Regulations 2017 apply there instead.
Do you need a forklift licence to do a pre-start?
The pre-start is part of operating the forklift, so it's done by the licensed operator about to use it. Operating a forklift, other than a pedestrian-operated one, needs an LF high risk work licence, and order-picking forklifts need an LO licence.
How long should forklift pre-start records be kept?
No WHS regulation sets a period for forklift pre-start sheets. Many businesses keep them for at least a year, which is industry practice rather than law; keep enough to show checks were done and defects fixed.
Do I need another pre-start if I change forklifts mid-shift?
Yes. A pre-start checks that particular forklift, so each one you take over needs its own check, even if you've already done one on another truck that shift.
Keep reading
- Pre-start checks in AustraliaAre pre-start checks required in Australia? What WHS regulation 213 says, how states differ, which plant needs a licence or registration, and what to record.
- Pre-start checklist appPre-start checklist app for Australian plant, forklifts and vehicles: scan a QR sticker, do the prestart on any phone, no app or login. Free for 3 machines.
- The best pre-start checklist apps in 2026The best pre-start checklist apps of 2026 for plant and machinery in Australia, NZ and the UK: app or no app, per user or per machine, and what each costs.
- Forklift inspection checklistFree forklift inspection checklist for the OSHA daily pre-shift check: 30 visual and operating checks with what a pass looks like. Print it or use QR codes.
- Excavator inspection checklistFree excavator daily inspection checklist: undercarriage, boom and bucket, quick coupler, fluids and cab checks, in walkaround order. Print it or use QR codes.
- WarehousesWarehouse forklift checklists on a QR sticker per truck. Operators and temps scan with their phone, no app or login. Problems email you and warn the next shift.
Do your forklift 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.