MEWP pre-use inspection checklist for scissor lifts and cherry pickers (free template)

What a MEWP pre-use inspection is

A MEWP pre-use inspection is the visual check and function test an operator does before using a mobile elevating work platform, normally at the start of each shift. IPAF's toolbox talk says a MEWP "should be inspected by the operator prior to use to make sure it is safe to use", following "the manufacturer's operating manual instructions" (IPAF).

MEWP is the term in UK guidance and in BS EN 280, the European design standard for these machines; Australian sites usually say EWP (elevating work platform) and pre-start; and most people call a boom lift a cherry picker. This checklist covers scissor, mast and boom lifts, with N/A for parts a machine doesn't have. For US rules, use the aerial lift inspection checklist.

The rules in the UK and Australia

The operator's check is the same job in both countries, but the law around it differs.

In the UK, a MEWP lifts people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every six months unless an examination scheme sets otherwise (HSE). IPAF tells operators: "If there's no evidence of inspection or it's out of date, do not use the MEWP." In Australia, SafeWork NSW lists the WP licence class for boom-type platforms with a boom length of 11 metres or more (SafeWork NSW). More in MEWP inspection requirements and LOLER thorough examinations.

How to do the pre-use inspection

1. 1Check you're trained and familiarised. IPAF says to be trained in the right category of MEWP and familiarised on the specific model.
2. 2Check the paperwork. Manual on board with a serial number matching the data plate, thorough examination in date, nothing from the last check still open.
3. 3Check the work area. Ground conditions, slopes, overhead power lines and obstructions, an exclusion zone, and who your ground rescue person is.
4. 4Walk round the machine stowed. Chassis, scissor pack or boom, pins, hydraulics, tyres, outriggers or pothole protection, battery or fuel, decals.
5. 5Check the platform. Guardrails, toe boards, gate, anchor points, control box and any secondary guarding.
6. 6Function test from the ground controls first, including the emergency stop and emergency lowering, then from the platform: enable switch, every function, brakes, and the tilt and overload alarms.
7. 7Record it, and report anything that fails.

When you're in the platform of a boom during the inspection, IPAF recommends a full body harness with an adjustable lanyard, attached to the designated anchor point and adjusted as short as possible.

Faults that stop the MEWP being used

What to do if the MEWP is faulty

IPAF's instructions are short. If a fault could affect safe use, "Isolate the MEWP, remove the key and activate the emergency stop switches", tag it so other operators know it has a fault, and report it to your supervisor or manager. Use a tag that says what's wrong, such as our out-of-service tag. On a hired machine, report it to the hire company too; they normally carry out the repair.

Recording the check

IPAF recommends that "the pre-use inspection is recorded in your logbook, or your IPAF ePAL app". In law, HSE says "Records are not normally required to be made for the simplest pre-use checks", but a dated record is the only proof the check happened, and the thorough examination report itself must be kept until the next report or for two years, whichever is later. In Australia, no WHS regulation sets a period for EWP pre-start records; keep enough to show checks were done and defects fixed.

Doing it on a phone

A QR sticker on each machine puts the check on the operator's own phone: they scan it, do the check in the browser with no app or login, and it's filed under that machine with their name and the time. A failed item emails you with photos and warns the next operator who scans it until it's fixed. It records the check against the machine; it doesn't replace an operator's personal IPAF logbook. See the plant pre-use check app for UK sites, or the pre-start checklist app in Australia. Free for 3 machines.