Free checklist · Material handling
Reach truck inspection checklist (free, printable)
This reach truck daily checklist covers what's different about a stand-up reach: the pantograph or moving-mast reach mechanism, baselegs and load wheels, the mast and its hose sheaves, the operator compartment and deadman pedal, plus battery, brakes, steering and the capacity plate. OSHA's daily examination rule for powered industrial trucks, 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7), applies. Print it free or use it on a QR code.
- How often
- Before each shift
- The rule
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7)
- Items
- 28 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Reach truck inspection checklist
Before each shift
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk-around (power off, forks down and retracted) | |||
| Forks and fork locksNo cracks, bends or worn heels; locking pins engaged | |||
| Reach mechanismPantograph arms or mast rails not bent or cracked; pins and clips in place | |||
| Mast channels and rollersNo cracks or bent channels; rollers turn; rails clear of debris | |||
| Lift chainsEven tension; no kinked, rusty or cracked links; anchors secure | |||
| Hoses and mast sheavesHoses ride in their sheaves; no chafing, kinks or leaks | |||
| BaselegsNot bent, cracked or gouged from rack strikes | |||
| Load wheelsTurn freely; no chunks, flat spots or debris wrapped round them | |||
| Drive tire and casterDrive tire not chunked or worn smooth; caster turns and swivels | |||
| Overhead guardNot bent or cracked; no missing bolts | |||
| Operator compartmentFloor mat in place; no loose objects; guards and handholds secure | |||
| Capacity plateReadable; shows the rated load at each lift height | |||
| Battery | |||
| Battery chargeRead the discharge indicator; charge before the red zone | ☐ Full ☐ 3/4 ☐ 1/2 ☐ 1/4 or less | ||
| Connector and cablesConnector not cracked or burnt; cables not cut or chafed; charger unplugged | |||
| Battery restraintRetainer or gate locked so the battery can't slide out | |||
| Water levelLead-acid: electrolyte above the plates | |||
| Operating checks (power on) | |||
| Hour meterReading from the display | ________ hours | ||
| Emergency disconnectCuts all power when pressed; truck restarts normally | |||
| Deadman pedalTruck won't travel unless your foot is down on it | |||
| BrakesStops smoothly and straight; brakes when you lift off the pedal | |||
| HornWorks and can be heard over the work area | |||
| Lights, blue spot and alarmWork, if fitted | |||
| SteeringSmooth both ways; direction indicator matches the drive wheel | |||
| Travel both directionsSmooth acceleration; slows smoothly when you change direction | |||
| Lift and lowerSmooth to height and back; chains even; no drift when stopped | |||
| Reach in and outFull stroke both ways, smooth, no drift when stopped | |||
| Tilt and side shiftBoth work smoothly and hold position | |||
| Height aids and camerasHeight selector, fork camera or laser line work, if fitted | |||
| Wire or rail guidanceLocks on to the guide wire or rails; aisle-end slowdown works | |||
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 reach truck, item by item
Walk-around (power off, forks down and retracted)
- Forks and fork locks — No cracks, bends or worn heels; locking pins engaged
- Reach mechanism — Pantograph arms or mast rails not bent or cracked; pins and clips in place
- Mast channels and rollers — No cracks or bent channels; rollers turn; rails clear of debris
- Lift chains — Even tension; no kinked, rusty or cracked links; anchors secure
- Hoses and mast sheaves — Hoses ride in their sheaves; no chafing, kinks or leaks
- Baselegs — Not bent, cracked or gouged from rack strikes
- Load wheels — Turn freely; no chunks, flat spots or debris wrapped round them
- Drive tire and caster — Drive tire not chunked or worn smooth; caster turns and swivels
- Overhead guard — Not bent or cracked; no missing bolts
- Operator compartment — Floor mat in place; no loose objects; guards and handholds secure
- Capacity plate — Readable; shows the rated load at each lift height
Battery
- Battery charge — Read the discharge indicator; charge before the red zone (Full / 3/4 / 1/2 / 1/4 or less)
- Connector and cables — Connector not cracked or burnt; cables not cut or chafed; charger unplugged
- Battery restraint — Retainer or gate locked so the battery can't slide out
- Water level — Lead-acid: electrolyte above the plates
Operating checks (power on)
- Hour meter — Reading from the display (reading, in hours)
- Emergency disconnect — Cuts all power when pressed; truck restarts normally
- Deadman pedal — Truck won't travel unless your foot is down on it
- Brakes — Stops smoothly and straight; brakes when you lift off the pedal
- Horn — Works and can be heard over the work area
- Lights, blue spot and alarm — Work, if fitted
- Steering — Smooth both ways; direction indicator matches the drive wheel
- Travel both directions — Smooth acceleration; slows smoothly when you change direction
- Lift and lower — Smooth to height and back; chains even; no drift when stopped
- Reach in and out — Full stroke both ways, smooth, no drift when stopped
- Tilt and side shift — Both work smoothly and hold position
- Height aids and cameras — Height selector, fork camera or laser line work, if fitted
- Wire or rail guidance — Locks on to the guide wire or rails; aisle-end slowdown works
How often a reach truck has to be inspected
A reach truck has to be examined before use at least once a day, and after every shift where it runs around the clock. Reach trucks are powered industrial trucks, so OSHA's daily examination rule applies: 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7) says trucks "shall not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle."
Operators need training on the reach truck itself, not just forklifts in general. OSHA's training rule calls for refresher training when "The operator is assigned to drive a different type of truck" (1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D)), and a counterbalance driver stepping onto a stand-up reach is exactly that. See OSHA forklift inspection requirements for the rule in full.
What's different about checking a reach truck
Three things set a reach truck apart from a counterbalance forklift: the reach mechanism, the baselegs and load wheels, and a stand-up compartment controlled by a deadman pedal.
- The reach mechanism. On a pantograph (scissor reach) truck, the scissor arms, pins and cylinders push the forks forward; on a moving-mast truck, the whole mast rolls along rails in the baselegs. Both get bent, and both have pins that work loose.
- Baselegs and load wheels. The load sits between the baselegs, which take the knocks from racking. Chunked or seized load wheels make the truck pull and jolt, and stretch film wraps round them.
- The deadman pedal. Lifting your foot should stop the truck. If it doesn't, nothing else in the compartment will.
- Capacity at height. A reach truck's rated load falls as the forks go up. The capacity plate shows the rated load at each lift height, so check it's there and readable.
- Hoses on the mast. Hydraulic hoses run over sheaves up the mast to the reach and tilt cylinders, and chafe where they rub.
How to do the check
Do the walk-around with the forks down and fully retracted, then test every function at low level before going high.
- Park it in a clear aisle. Forks down and retracted, power off.
- Walk around the truck. Forks, reach mechanism, mast, chains, hoses, baselegs, load wheels, drive tire, overhead guard and compartment.
- Check the battery. Charge level, connector, cables, restraint and water level.
- Step in and power up. Write down the hour meter, test the emergency disconnect and the deadman pedal.
- Test travel, brakes and steering both ways in the aisle.
- Test the hydraulics. Lift a short way and lower, then reach out and in, tilt and side shift. Watch for drift with the controls released.
- Record and report. A note on every problem, and don't use a truck that fails.
The defects that take a reach truck out of service
Any defect that affects the truck's safety takes it out of service. These are the ones specific to reach trucks, on top of the usual brakes, chains and forks.
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Deadman pedal doesn't stop or brake the truck | The truck can move with the operator's foot off the pedal |
| Reach drifts out or in with the controls released | A load can creep off a rack beam |
| Bent pantograph arm or missing pin | The reach can jam or the forks drop at height |
| Cracked or bent baseleg | It carries the load; a damaged one can fail |
| Chunked or seized load wheel | Pulls and jolts the truck, worst with a load raised |
| Chafed hose on the mast | Can burst and drop or tilt the load |
| Missing or unreadable capacity plate | The operator can't tell what's safe at height |
What to do when something fails
Lower the forks, park the truck out of the aisle, tag it and report it. OSHA requires a truck "found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe" to be "taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition" (1910.178(p)(1)), and repairs to be made by authorized personnel (1910.178(q)(1)). Use an out-of-service tag and follow what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
OSHA doesn't require the daily examination to be written down, but a dated record with the operator's name is the only way to show it was done. In a multi-shift warehouse it's also how you find out which shift found the damage. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
With a QR sticker on each reach truck, operators scan with their own phone and run this list in the browser, with no app or login, and you see which trucks have been checked today. CheckBadges does it with the same checklist on every forklift and reach truck, and emails you the moment one fails.
Skip the clipboard
Put this reach truck 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.
Reach truck 1
Reach truck inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
Is a reach truck a forklift under OSHA rules?
Yes. A reach truck is a powered industrial truck, so OSHA's forklift standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, applies in full: the daily examination, removal from service when defective, and operator training and evaluation.
What does the deadman pedal on a reach truck do?
It proves the operator is in position. The truck only travels with your foot on it, and lifting your foot brakes the truck. Test it at the start of every shift; a reach truck whose deadman doesn't stop it must not be used.
How is a reach truck inspection different from a forklift inspection?
It adds the reach mechanism, the baselegs and load wheels, the stand-up compartment and deadman pedal, and the capacity plate's ratings at height. It drops engine checks, because reach trucks are electric.
Can a forklift operator drive a reach truck without more training?
No. OSHA requires operators to be trained and evaluated on the type of truck they drive, and refresher training when an operator is assigned to a different type of truck (1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D)). A sit-down counterbalance is not a stand-up reach.
Keep reading
- Order picker inspection checklistFree order picker daily inspection checklist: harness, lanyard and anchor, gates, deadman, mast, lift and lower, guidance and battery. Print it or use QR.
- 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.
- Pallet jack inspection checklistFree electric pallet jack inspection checklist: belly switch, tiller brake, horn, forks, load wheels and battery, plus manual jack checks. Print or use QR.
- OSHA forklift inspection rulesOSHA requires forklifts to be examined before use at least daily, and after each shift if run around the clock. What to check, who does it, records and fines.
- Forklift inspection appA forklift inspection app your operators don't install: they scan a QR sticker on the truck to do the daily check. Defects email you and warn the next shift.
- 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 reach truck 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.